Heritage
by Twinsnake Coatl
Summary: A sequel to "Death and Rebirth". Sailor Saturn will have to face the consequences of defeating her most dreaded enemy, Pharaoh 90. And if she doesn't take responsability, it will take hold of her.
1. Heritage 1

This fanfic is a sequel to the crossover "Death and Rebirth", so I suggest reading that story first so that you can make sense out of certain parts of the story.

"Bishoujo Senshi, Sailor Moon" created by Naoko Takeuchi.

**Heritage**

**Chapter 1:**

Hotaru and Reiko were heading back from school towards the outers' manor. The redhead did most of the talking on this last leg.

"…I start listing the serious repercussions that decision will bring, and the guy looks at me like I'm some sort of clown, babbling about stuff I have no idea of. Okay, so most of the time I only care about having fun, but that doesn't mean I'm oblivious to the important stuff. You know that, ne, Hotaru-chan?" No reply. "Hotaru-chan?"

"Nani? Oh, gomen, Reiko-san, I'm still thinking about what happened today."

"Right, those girls from the tennis club," Reiko replied as she ran her fingers through her hair, "It seems we're doomed to find someone to harass us no matter where we go." Several rumors had reached the new school before the girls' arrival, about Hotaru's magic, Reiko's behavior, and Carlos Navarro.

"I don't mind people talking about me behind my back, but I'm not going to stand any lies about Carlos," the amethyst eyed girl fumed, "Claiming that he dumped me, how dare they?"

"Well, if you were really that mad you should've said something then instead of complaining to me now," Reiko scolded. Hotaru looked away, trying to hide her grin. She'd been practicing with her illusions for a while now, and had left one or two dozen foot-long roaches on the court. "Although, that particular rumor is partly your fault. How could you let Carlos-kun go just like that?"

"Carlos needed to make this trip," The violet-haired girl retorted, "We don't own each other, it would've been terribly selfish had I asked him to stay just for me."

"Hotaru-chan." Reiko shook her head as she gave a gentle chuckle. "Your best quality is that you're always thinking of others, but don't forget, you exist too. I can see it in your eyes, you have faith in him, and you know you'll be reunited. But that doesn't stop you from missing him, every three seconds you become absent and place yourself in another world." Hotaru sighed deeply.

"It's true, I miss him terribly. But what can I do besides waiting?"

"Hmm, if I were in your shoes, I'd go look for him."

"Reiko-san," the pale girl rolled her eyes at her friend. "I can't just do something like that; I must consider my parents, my friends, school, and several other responsibilities."

"Those are all valid, but answer me this: Who's stopping you other than yourself?" The violet-haired girl stopped on her tracks with a surprised visage. "Think about it, okay, Hotaru-chan?"

"Reiko-san, every now and then, I get the feeling there's more to you than meets the eye."

"Maybe, maybe not, but I won't let you know that easily."

*****

The girls kept walking and eventually reached their destination. Hotaru opened the door and noticed something amiss.

"That's funny, everything's dark, Setsuna-mama and the others should be home at this hour."

"SURPRISE!!" ten voices chorused.

"Nani?" Hotaru just stood there as poppers went off and confetti fell on her hair. She saw Usagi and Mamoru, the inners (except for Makoto, who was away with Shigeru on their honeymoon), Motoki, Unazuki, and of course, her adoptive parents. Luna and Artemis were also present, meowing their greeting. She looked around to find colored balloons, ribbons, food and a cake with fifteen candles on it. "It's my birthday!?" the petit girl asked with genuine astonishment.

"Of course it is, Hime-chan," Haruka answered as she placed a purple paper crown on her daughter's head.

"First time we've ever been able to surprise you," Usagi noted, "You usually sniff out our plans right away."

"There, you see?" Reiko said as she elbowed her pal playfully, "You're thinking about Carlos-kun so much, you're oblivious to the fact you've turned fifteen today."

"Well, let's get this show on the road," Michiru called, "Mako-chan helped me with the snacks before she left."

"And the cake's a specialty from the 'Crown Café'," Unazuki announced, "So everyone dig in."

The rest of the evening was all fun and games. The gifts Hotaru received ranged from books to computer games; Rei and Michiru had recorded a CD together, and Setsuna designed a brand new dress.

"And here's a package that arrived this morning," the mocha-skinned woman said as she took it out, "all the way from Mexico."

"Then it must be from Carmen-chan," Minako guessed, "Come on, Hotaru-chan, let's see what she sent." The pale girl complied, she saw the contents and let out a cheerful cackle.

"It looks like Carmen-chan's catching up on her sewing, check these out." She put the open box in the middle and everyone saw a complete set of handmade sailor senshi dolls.

"Aww, they're so kawaii," Usagi cooed as she picked up the cloth-made Tuxedo Kamen, "Ne, Mamo-chan?"

"Our Mexico-jin friend is quite talented," Ami said, appraising the little Sailor Mercury, "this is excellent craftsmanship."

"It sure is," Motoki agreed, "much better than the ones in my crane games." He got up and stretched, "Well, I know it's still, but I better get going if I want to open the game center on time."

"Likewise," his sister said, "Would you like for us to give you a ride, Reiko-chan? It's too late for you to go home on your own."

"Hai, you're right, arigato. And, Hotaru-chan," the redhead gave her friend a wink, "I know I didn't give you anything today, but I'll make it up to you tomorrow, big time."

"Arigato, Reiko-san, but you don't have to bother." Actually, the words 'big time' made her think: _By the silence, please don't bother. "Goodnight, drive safely." The pony-tailed girl went outside first then stopped when she got to the porch steps._

"What is it, Reiko-chan?" Michiru asked.

"Umm, nothing," she answered while staring at the starry sky, "I just felt a chill going down my neck, that's all." The violinist noticed something in her voice however, but decided not to pay much attention.

The others stayed for about an hour, in which they each got their respective doll.

"Carmen-chan must've kept herself busy every day these last two months to make ten perfect dolls," Rei said.

"Eleven actually," Hotaru corrected, "I hid one from Reiko-san and the others." Everyone gave curious stares, she smirked and revealed the eleventh. Mamoru broke out laughing.

"We should've known she'd include her brother."

"I never thought anyone would conceive making a likeness of Karasu no Shi," Haruka chuckled, "What I wouldn't give to see the look on Navarro's face when he sees it."

"You better cut it out, Haruka," the aqua-haired woman scolded mildly, "If Carlos-kun were here, he'd have a zinger ready to put you in your place."

"Precisely why I'm making the most of his absence," the sand-blonde replied.

It was getting late and the reunion came to an end, the inners thanked their hosts and gave the birthday girl a final batch of hugs and congratulations as they left. When Hotaru was about to climb up the stairs, Setsuna came up to her side.

"Something else arrived by mail, Hime-chan, a letter for you," the ruby-eyed woman whispered, "I thought you would like to read it privately." Hotaru looked at the envelope, there was no return address, but the drawing of a crow in its place.

"Arigato, Setsuna-mama!" she exclaimed as she squeezed her and hurried to her room.

"What was that about?" Michiru asked from around the corner. Setsuna just gave her trademark grin for an answer.

Hotaru entered her room, closed the door and went over to her favorite lamp. Taking a deep breath to ease her excitement, she opened the letter carefully. With great expectation, she started reading.

_My beloved Hotaru,_

_I can't find the words to tell you how much I miss you. If I hadn't gathered the courage to leave that night on the bridge, I never would've been able to leave at all. Bless Kashaku, without his help, I doubt I could've made it this far._

_It's a little embarrassing to admit this, but now I realize my true strength showed itself only when I was with you, alone I am weak and afraid. Every night I think about turning back, run towards you so I'll have nothing to fear anymore. The same thought tempers my resolution though, for it's this dependence from you I want to get rid of._

_Don't misunderstand me! I'm not rejecting you, rather the weakness in myself. Hotaru, you are one of the most powerful people I know, a statement which would remain true, even if you weren't Sailor Saturn. That's why I have to keep going, grow stronger so you'll be proud of me the day we meet again._

_Give my regards to the others, and give a hello to the cats and twins on Kashaku's behalf._

_All my love to you,_

_Carlos_

When the amethyst-eyed girl finished reading she gave her Karasu doll a tight squeeze, pranced around and let herself drop on the bed.

"Carlos, you silly, I'll always be proud of you," Hotaru told the doll, "I love you just the way you are." She took another deep breath, "And I'm not as strong as you say either." She turned to her side and remembered the moments they spent together. It flattered her to know that her love was going through so much trouble to please her. Then it occurred to her, shouldn't she do the same for him? She thought about this and came up with some ideas as she fell asleep.

*****

Midnight, Tokyo Tower:

Six people gathered at the foot of the giant, metal structure. Three of them were quite large, wearing trench coats and wide brimmed hats.

"Has anyone found anything?" one of them, who was carrying a backpack, asked.

"Absolutely nothing," another answered sourly, "It would be a lot easier if we didn't have to put up with this damn cold. Are we even at the right dimension?"

"Hey, don't question my know-how!" a voice from inside the bag protested, "I checked the data hundreds of times, and there's no doubt, this is the place."

"And don't forget," the one with the bag added, "this is where he wanted to come to for so long." He gave a sarcastic chuckle, "How ironic that he would find his executioner at the other side of the door."

"I'd laugh too," the grouch said, "if that had been the end of our problems. (Tsk) Let's get going, the sooner we continue the search, the sooner we'll find the queen."

*****

Shibuya, the following day:

Usagi was leaning on a lamppost as she waited for Minako to come out. Her friend was inside a place that, quite frankly, made her feel more than nervous, a tattoo parlor.

"Okay, I'm done!" the girl with the red ribbon announced as she stepped into the street, "What do you think, Usagi-chan?" The future queen stared at the little winged heart on her friend's right arm.

"I can't believe you went through with this, Mina-chan. Your mother's gonna have a heart attack when she sees it."

"That's why I waited until I moved out, plus a little longer," the loose-haired blonde replied as she put on her jacket, "I still remember the day I came home wearing a temporary one, she fainted on the spot. This one's smaller though, and more kawaii."

"I agree on that, but you won't see me getting one, I wouldn't like having something permanent on my body. Even if I did," Usagi poked her friend's arm lightly; Minako shook and her hair stood on end. "I'd never get past the first dot." The girl with the red ribbon narrowed her eyes and gritted her teeth.

"Usagi, you're going to pay for this."

"Gomen, Mina-chan," the Moon princess apologized. "Let's go find the others, I want to see what they'll say about-Hey!" A man, with skin color like Setsuna's, bumped into her. He was holding a tablet which he dropped. "Read or walk, baka, but don't do both!"

"Oh, sorry! I was distracted," the man said. Minako's attention was drawn by the eight-foot-tall man standing behind. His attire covered his face utterly, and he kept absolute silence. She then leaned over to pick up the tablet that had caused this mess.

"Say, isn't that a drawing of-" The stranger snatched the item hurriedly.

"I'm sorry but it is classified!" the dark-skinned man said as they both hurried away. He stopped again suddenly as he realized something. "You know who this is?" It was the rough sketch of a female figure; the distinguishing characteristics were a short skirt and a ribbon on the chest.

"Sure I know, it's obviously a sailor senshi," Minako answered. His eyes lit up.

"Do you know where I can find her?"

"You're in luck," the blue-eyed girl continued, "From here, go three blocks down and two to the right; she'll be making an appearance in about ten minutes."

"Really?" He smiled broadly and shook both blonde's hands feverishly, "My eternal thanks to you," the stranger said as he ran off.

"Curious fellow," Usagi commented, "You know, that picture was too vague though, could be of any one of us. And he was wearing a lot of clothing, it's cold but not that much."

"He's foreign, probably from a warm country. The one that creeped me out was the big guy, he was quiet as a tomb, and just as still." The loose-haired blonde pondered a little. "You think we should comment about this?"

"Only if we want to share an interesting anecdote," the odango-headed one answered, "I didn't get any bad vibes, that guy doesn't even know much about us. He actually thinks there is only one senshi."

"Hai." Minako checked to see if her tattoo was still tender. "Now I feel bad about giving him that false lead."

*****

An hour later:

"Great going, Sketh, a whole night of searching and you bring us to a kiddy show." On stage, several girls wearing bright costumes and colorful wigs were pretending to battle a monster made out of cloth and plastic. "Any more bright ideas?"

"Put a sock in it, Heben. So maybe this wasn't the best lead, but at least it proves we're in the right place. The one we're looking for is here!" He took a deep breath. "Of course, now we have to figure out which is the one."

"Yeah," the one carrying the backpack, Mekhet, agreed, "But Heben's got a point, this doesn't help us much, and we're running out of time. If we leave empty handed we won't be able to return in a month, and I hate to think what will become of us by then." He took a deep breath and crossed his arms. "We need a plan. How will we find the real one?"

"I believe the best tactic will be to have her find us," the voice from inside the backpack suggested.

"What are you talking about?" Heben asked.

"Pay attention to the show. Those girls, Sailor Moon and her partners, are fighting a beast, and we brought three of our own." The three men looked up at their tall companions, always silent and motionless.

"I am not going to like this idea," Sketh predicted.

*****

Hikawa Shrine, later that day:

"I'm not surprised," Rei confessed after seeing Minako's acquisition, "crazy things are becoming your trademark."

"I'll take that as a compliment," the blonde replied.

"I must admit it's tasteful," Ami said, "but don't you think you should've had it placed at a more secluded area? Your hip for example."

"I thought about it, but I'd rather have it at a place where I can see it myself." Mina turned her head. "Originally, I thought about having it on the small of my back."

"That would've been quite a sight," Artemis chuckled. Everyone narrowed their eyes at the white cat, Luna's stare was murderous. "I'm just saying!"

"Che, anyway," the black cat turned to her charge, "Usagi-chan, you said you met someone who seems to be looking for the senshi, ne?"

"Hai, Mina-chan and I were heading-" Their communicators started beeping and the maiden answered.

"Rei-chan," it was Michiru, "three people are firing away at everything downtown. And if that wasn't bad enough, they have three stone monsters with them!"

"Ara!" Ami exclaimed, "We'll be there in a second, don't do anything until we're all together." She pulled out her henshin rod. "Mercury crisis power, make up!"

"Venus crisis power, make up!"

"Mars crisis power, make up!"

"Eternal Moon power, make up!"

Eternal Sailor Moon and the three inners teleported away. The love senshi took a second to confirm how effective a disguise her transformation granted.

*****

Armed with staves that had diamond shaped tips with a purple jewel in the center, the trio blasted away at parked cars. The three stone giants had taken off their disguises and were smashing everything else. Their outfits were carved into the rock, except for iron helms.

"Are you sure about this idea?" Heben asked.

"I admit it's not a perfect plan," the voice inside the backpack responded, "But if I'm right about the senshi's behavior, they'll be here at any moment."

"So far so good," Mekhet said, "There were enough people to raise the alarm, and too few for any casualties." He planted his staff on the floor and took a breather. "But if we don't get results within the next ten minutes-"

"Shabon spray!"

Suddenly, they were surrounded by a thick mist.

"What the hell?" Sketh looked around nervously. "Heben, Mekhet! Are you guys still there? Whoa!!" He raised his weapon just in time to block Uranus' Star sword.

"Had fun, baka?" the sand-blonde taunted, "Well, now you're going to learn to respect public property." But the dark-skinned man could only make sense out of the first two words.

While Sketh battled Uranus, Mekhet, who was quite strong, was busy with both Sailor Moon and Saturn, and Heben had Pluto to contend with. The rest of the senshi handled the stone giants.

"Mercury, can you figure out what we're up against?" Neptune asked, "Ara, a hole through its chest and it's still moving!"

"They're like robots," the azure-haired senshi responded, "Sturdy, but if I discover their weakness, we'll bring them down without much effort."

"A piece of advice, Mercury, hurry up! Crescent beam!"

The three men fought for a while, then regrouped and stood away from the senshi.

"What's going on here? Why can't we understand them?" Heben growled.

"It was that mist," Sketh explained, "The humidity must've damaged the translators." He gulped, "We're in trouble."

"Worse trouble," the voice inside Mekhet's bag added, "We're nearly out of time, any second now the portal will open automatically!" Mekhet grumbled and made some quick thinking.

"Set your weapons on stun, we're taking the offensive."

"What!? Are you sure about this?" Sketh exclaimed.

"We've got no choice, come on!"

"Any idea what these people are saying?" Uranus asked, "I don't want to fight without knowing, not anymore."

"We have no choice but to do so until we can either capture one or make them retreat," Pluto said, "And they don't seem the type to give up easily." She moved forward to counter the charge from the one who seemed to be the leader. Both weapons slammed onto each other with full force, the dark-skinned man moved so violently that the straps of his backpack snapped and it was flung away. It landed next to Sailor Moon and Saturn and spilled out its contents, several gadgets and a weird looking creature. It was about the size of a cat, a cross between a lizard and a weasel, with both  brown fur and grayish scales. It looked at a buzzing machine on its wrist then glanced at them with eyes wide open.

"By the silence, what kind of animal is that?"

"I have no idea," the Moon princess answered. The critter turned its head and gave a weird shriek. "But that definitely sounded articulate. Get it!" She tried catching it but the animal sprinted towards her, coiling its tail around her leg causing her to trip. Then it leapt towards the silent senshi, clasping her arm.

"Chikuso, get the hell off me!" Sailor Moon tried to help her young friend but heard footsteps hurrying towards her. She looked up and saw Heben attacking. She raised her power tier, but it would've been an ineffective defense. Lucky for her, Tuxedo Kamen chose that moment to appear.

"Don't you realize you're embarrassing your country with such behavior?" the Earth prince quipped as he pushed his cane against the staff.

Meanwhile, one of the stone giants had finally been destroyed, but only after a lot of effort.

"It's in their heads, the weak spot is in their heads," Mercury shouted. The water senshi knocked herself on the head. "That's the reason for the helmets. Chikuso, I rely on my computer too much."

"Don't blame yourself, Mercury," the love senshi said, "The obvious is very easy to ignore."

"We gotta get those off," Mars said, "But first, we better separate them. Neptune, Venus, you take the right; Mercury and I will take the left."

"Hai," the ocean senshi replied, "Come on, Venus." The four senshi split up and each giant followed a pair.

The blonde and aqua-haired ones ran towards a wall then turned at the last second, the living statue was much too heavy to maneuver and crashed. There was an unforeseen consequence though, the whole building shook and debris was about to drop on the senshi. Neptune aimed her Aqua mirror upwards.

"Submarine reflect-Nani?" The stone giant rushed towards the senshi and shielded them with its own body. "Uh, arigato?" The senshi were slightly confused and the giant took the advantage to knock them both to the ground. Then, using one hand, it pinned the pair down, without crushing them though. It let its arm crumble off and went over to fight the others. "Okay, Venus," Neptune huffed after the giant left, "you got a quote for this occasion?"

"How about, beware Romans bearing presents?"

"It's this one!" the furry creature called. It saw the blonde senshi coming up and made her trip with a well aimed sprint. Then it stopped right in front of the pale one and leapt for her arm. As she struggled to get it off, it moved towards her back. The critter held from her shoulders as tightly as it could, but then felt a sharp pain on its back which caused it to fall. It stood up and saw a black cat baring her fangs.

"I have no idea what you are," Luna hissed, "but I'm not letting you hurt that child!" Artemis rushed to his mate's side.

"Careful, Luna-chan, it's reptilian so it could be poisonous."

"Precisely why I attacked, it was dangerously close to Saturn's neck," the female cat replied, "Come on, we can take this one!"

Sailor Mars and Mercury cursed when they saw they now had to fight both remaining giants. Fortunately, Sailor Moon and Saturn had come over to help, and the fire senshi managed to knock one of their helmets off.

"The forehead!" the blonde shouted.

"Nani? What are you talking about, Sailor Moon?" the water senshi asked.

"That rune on its forehead, hit it and it stops moving. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about!"

"What do we have to lose?" the raven-haired senshi huffed, "Mars flame sniper!" She scored a direct hit, and just like their leader had predicted, the giant starting moving slower until it came to a complete halt, petrified, so to speak.

"Perfect!" Saturn cheered, "Now, watch this." The silent senshi charged towards the remaining giant; she jumped on its arm as it tried to grab her, and drove the Silence glaive through both the helmet and its head. She obtained the same results. "Great idea, Princess! How did you know?"

"They're golems," the blue-eyed senshi answered, "Statues that come alive when you write a special word or rune on their head. Erase it and they stop moving."

"Sailor Moon, I'm impressed!" the azure-haired senshi praised, "You see how a little reading can help a lot?"

"Actually," the odango-headed girl scratched the back of her head, "All I did was recall an OAV I once saw." Mars narrowed her eyes.

"Well, it was useful knowledge."

"Hey guys," Neptune called. The four senshi turned and saw the big stone hand trapping their friends, "We're glad you solved that problem. Now get your butts over here and get us out!"

Sketh and Uranus were fighting each other. The foreign man took notice of how the other's had beaten the stone giants and grumbled, then growled when a beeping sound came from his belt. This meant they had only seconds left! He rushed pasts the wind senshi as he slapped her hip.

"Hey!" Furious, Uranus spun and tried to chase him. "I'll teach you to-Nani!?" Her left leg had gone completely numb and she fell. "Somebody stop that guy!" the shorthaired senshi yelled as her opponent escaped.

Running as fast as he could, Sketh headed for the bag and pulled something out.

"Everyone cover your eyes." Thanks to the fact that only his companions could understand him, this one turned out an effective idea. He threw a metal disc to the air and it exploded in an intensely bright flash. Heben and Mekhet didn't waste the chance they were given, they left their blinded opponents and headed for their target.

"Ungh!" Saturn tried opening her eyes, she could barely see the pair approaching. She tried to, but couldn't block Heben's attack. "KYAA!" A painful jolt ran through her body and she fainted. Meanwhile, Mekhet had struck Sailor Moon the same way.

"Got the girl," he called as he picked up the fainted femme. And just in time, the moment he said this, a large blue portal appeared. Through aching eyes, Pluto watched as the trio of invaders, their furry companion, and their captive vanished.

"Is everyone all right?" Mercury asked once they'd all recovered.

"Not everyone," Tuxedo Kamen answered as he picked up his wife, "They got Saturn."

*****

Author's notes:

Golem is Hebrew for 'lifeless, amorphous mass'. The legendary golem is a humanoid creature made out of clay, which is brought to life through rituals and writing the word 'emet' (truth) on its forehead. To stop a golem, simply erase the first letter so the word becomes 'met' (death). Of course, specific details are optional when it comes to fanfiction.

By the way, Minako's tattoo is not my idea, Naoko Takeuchi came up with that. The Sailor Moon art-book, "Material Collection" (that's the yellow one) includes a short story called "Parallel Sailor Moon". In it, you see a grown-up Minako sporting a winged heart on her right arm.


	2. Heritage 2

**Heritage**

**Chapter 2:**

Beneath the Crown game center:

"That should do the trick," Ami said when she finished massaging Haruka's leg, "There will be a bit of discomfort as you recover completely though, so you better wait a while before going back into battle, Haruka-kun."

"I can't afford to wait, none of us can," the sand-blonde replied as she got up, "We have to get Hime-chan back as soon as possible."

"And Luna-chan," Artemis reminded loudly. The white cat had noticed his mate was missing immediately after his sight recovered. "Why in the world would they want to take her?"

"I have no idea, but we shouldn't be expecting the worst," Minako suggested, "The same weapons they were using to destroy cars simply stunned Usagi-chan and Hotaru-chan, and that golem could've easily crushed Michiru-san and I instead of just holding us. So it's safe to assume our friends will remain unharmed."

"Hai, that's true," Rei admitted, "Still, you two should've suspected that stranger the moment you saw that tablet."

"Rei-chan, my mouth still feels a little numb," the future queen complained, "so just pretend I'm sticking out my tongue at you." She crossed her arms and hummed. "There was something special about that drawing, if I could just put my finger on it, we might figure out what to do next."

"If only we had been able to communicate," Ami spoke up, "this mess never would've happened." She had brought along some of the items that had fallen out of Mekhet's backpack, and some circuitry she found in the remains of a golem. She discovered that the broken translators had been interfering with their crystals, which enabled the senshi to understand any alien language. That's the reason the Starlights and Princess Kakyu had no problem with the language barrier. The azure-haired girl was tapping her pencil against the table impatiently when her eyes went wide open. "Ara!"

"Any good news?" Michiru asked.

"Ie, terrible news! Come with me." They all went into the storage room, where the senshi kept all sorts of stuff from their adventures. "Do you remember what this is?" Everyone nodded.

"That's the box Tomoe-san used to create youma in," Artemis answered, "It even became one, as I recall."

"Hai, its mechanism intrigued me, so I kept it for further study." The shorthaired girl put her hand on the broken machine. "The golem's circuitry looked familiar, then I realized why, the basic design is the same as this one's." Setsuna gasped loudly upon hearing this.

"But that would mean they're from-"

"That's impossible!" Usagi exclaimed, "Saturn destroyed Pharaoh 90 totally. Her attack was immense, nothing could've survived it! I was barely able to bring her back."

"With a title like pharaoh we can assume he had plenty of followers," the mocha-skinned woman cleared out. She dropped against the wall and dragged her hands down her face. "No wonder they want her alive, it's probably so they can exact vengeance upon her." She shook her head vigorously. "Ie, I can't let my imagination wander. Minako-chan is right, those three had many opportunities to finish us. And Hime-chan has grown much stronger since that day, she won't be helpless."

"She's still captive, Setsuna-san," Her wavy-haired sister reminded, "Whatever situation she's in, we must get her back as quickly as possible."

"It won't be easy," Mamoru replied, "Pharaoh 90 came from another dimension, we can only teleport through distance."

"And the portal generator at Mugen Gauken was the only thing we couldn't salvage," Ami added. They tried to come up with a solution but nothing came to mind.

"Kashaku-san told me once that his kind is able to travel between dimensions freely," Artemis commented, "Phobos-chan and Deimos-chan might be willing to teach us how to do it."

"Unfortunately, they're still away on their mission at Coronis," the young maiden reminded.

"Then let's go for the source," Usagi suggested, "Coronis herself, I'm sure she won't deny us her help."

"Same problem," Rei insisted, "that planet is located in another dimension. Besides, the twins told me that it's forbidden for living beings to go there, unless invited by the queen herself." Apparently, there was no solution to this problem. The white cat swayed his tail about then hopped down to floor level.

"I'm going home to take a nap, call me if something comes up."

"A nap!?" his blue-eyed charge asked, "Artemis-kun, I thought you said you were worried about Luna-chan."

"I am, but I always think much more clearly after sleeping."

"Artemis-kun has a point," Mamoru supported, "We're too tense and that obfuscates us. We'll net better results if we allow ourselves a little distraction then take a second look at this situation."

"I can't argue with a good idea," Haruka replied. She took out her car-keys and twirled them on her finger. "A couple of laps around the old track should blow away the steam." The rest agreed that it would be fun, so they got their things and went outside.

Michiru was about to get into the car when she heard someone call her name, it was Reiko.

"Ohayo, minna-san," the redhead greeted, "What's the rush? You're not trying to get rid of me, are you?"

"Of course not," the violinist replied, "We're on our way to the racetrack to watch Haruka. Would you like to come?"

"No thanks, I just came to give-Hey, where's Hotaru-chan?"

"Eto, she's umm… she-"

"Hime-chan wanted some time for herself, apparently she has something personal and important to take care of." Little white lies are hard for Michiru, Setsuna on the other hand, handles them easily.

"I understand, that girl's always keeping a lot on her mind." The ponytailed girl took a small box and a card out of her purse, "Make sure she gets these, okay? They're a little trinket and a ticket for a free movie and lunch at that Hollywood-theme restaurant."

"I'll make sure she gets them," the aqua-haired girl replied as she took the gifts. Reiko bowed and left, whistling a cheerful tune.

"What movie are they playing?" Usagi, who had come up, asked.

"Che, that stupid movie about some space tunnel found in Egypt. Reiko-chan's attentive, but her taste leaves a lot to be desired."

"Egypt!" the odango-headed girl exclaimed, snapping her fingers, "That's what was so special about that picture, it was styled like a hieroglyphic! Front of the torso, profile of the face."

"And that tunnel idea isn't so farfetched," the ruby-eyed woman added, "Crack open the sun-block, we're taking a trip."

*****

South of Nizah, Egypt:

At the bottom of a deep ravine, the senshi, sans Jupiter, were standing before a large wall covered by various runes. Mercury and Pluto were trying to decipher them while the rest chatted away.

"You know, Pluto, you really should consider writing down your memoirs," Uranus suggested, "It would be a lot more convenient than waiting for you to remember stuff randomly."

"I've tried to," the time senshi replied with a hint of annoyance, "The problem is, I can't recall my memories whenever I want to, only when the need arises. I guess it's a safety measure devised by Chronos to keep me from misusing the knowledge I would obtain as a result from watching the time stream."

"And there was no need for us to now about this place until now," Tuxedo Kamen pointed out.

"Exactly," Venus agreed, "Don't open the box of lures until you're ready to go fishing."

"That's can of worms," Mars corrected, "In the meantime, shouldn't we call Mako-chan? She'll have to know about this."

"I'd rather the one who stays behind tells her," Sailor Moon said. Some time ago, they decided that should a situation like this show up, at least two of them should stay on Earth. "I still feel guilty about her offer to stand by during her honeymoon," the blonde princess continued, "She should concentrate on having a good time."

"I think the chosen pair should be one inner and one outer," Neptune said, "and it will be best if I were to stay behind."

"Nani?" the wind senshi could hardly believe what she'd just heard, "How can that be for the best?"

"Pluto's knowledge of the past will be most useful, and you are unparalleled when it comes to finding your way through new terrain. All I would contribute is firepower, and frankly, that doesn't satisfy me."

"Neptune, you know you're much more-" The ocean senshi placed her finger on her lover's lips.

"I'm going to miss you too, but Hime-chan needs you the most. Plus," she added in a soft voice, "whenever we have to take separate trips, I always make it up to you, in a way you really enjoy."

"Okay, we've figured it out," the azure-haired senshi announced. She put away her computer and visor. "Get ready, judging by the size of these walls, we're in for quite a show." She and Pluto pressed the buttons on each side of the wall in a specific order and stood back. The whole place started shaking, so violently that the heroes were unable to keep balance and got on their knees. Soon it was over and the entrance was open.

"That's it!?" Mars asked. After such a tremor, one would expect a large portal, but the entrance was barely six feet tall and very narrow. "All that show for the pet door?"

"Those had to be the rustiest hinges in history," Artemis quipped, "Let's hurry, I want to get a look at that transporter."

Tuxedo Kamen led the way in, ready to dart his rose at the first sign of a trap. They made it to a shadowy room, where the only light source was a rough-surfaced crystal.

"Stay back while I check it out," the Earth prince ordered. He approached the glowing item, it was placed on a stone platform and gave all indications of being a switch of some sort. There was a fair chance of it being a trap, and there was only one way to find out. Kamen manipulated the crystal and got ready for anything. There was a loud hum, the lights went on and everyone gasped in amazement. There it was, a large circular platform with four obelisks around it, the doorway to another dimension.

"Unbelievable!" Mercury exclaimed as she rushed forward. The command console was antique, yet quite modern in design. "All those theories about the pyramids and the sphinx being designed by aliens are actually real!" The water senshi was so excited she couldn't help laughing. She reactivated her visor. "Don't bother sitting down, I'll have this thing figured out in no time."

"Why don't we just read the instruction booklet?" Venus pointed at the wall, which was covered with hieroglyphics. Pluto came over, rubbing her chin.

"I don't think this is part of the original structure. For starters, unlike the runes outside, this is written in Egyptian. Also, it's some kind of journal."

"Really?" The love senshi moved along the wall, "If that's true, it means someone's been in-EEK!" Everyone rushed over the moment they heard the scream and made a frightful discovery. A human skeleton was lying at a corner, there was a worn-out knife in its hand and crude writing right beside it. Artemis approached cautiously.

"He drove the knife into his own neck! Why would he do that?"

"We'll find out." The ruby-eyed senshi read the wall, mouthing the words. "Ara! According to this, these people came to Earth thousands of years ago, and stayed for several generations, even while they kept their real identity secret from everyone else. This man was a direct descendant from the original colonizers." She kept on reading. "Now here's an interesting part."

"_The invading army is brutish and primitive, but their leader, Julus, is dangerously intelligent and may learn how to use our technology. If that should come to pass, not only this one, both worlds will be finished._"

"Who was Julus?" Uranus asked, "Never heard of him or his army."

"He probably meant to write Julius, as in Caesar," her ocean princess explained, "That means this cave was sealed during the Roman invasion of Egypt."

"Precisely!" Pluto seconded, "It was a massive exodus, hundreds of families had to leave for a world they never saw." Her face went somber. "Unfortunately, the send off procedure must be activated manually, someone had to stay behind, he volunteered." The senshi kept a minute of silence.

"There's one detail I don't understand," Mars pointed out, "If they were so advanced, why escape instead of fighting?"

"The answer to that is written here as well," Pluto responded, "They were allowed to apply and teach their technology for peaceful purposes only, warfare was forbidden, a rule our brave volunteer didn't quite agree with."

"But there were weapons on the other side," Tuxedo Kamen guessed, "which had to be kept away from the Romans at all cost."

"The message outside was encoded," the water senshi informed, looking up from her work, "At first glance it was a warning, mummy's curse and all that. It took Pluto and I a while to solve the riddle."

"That whole sphinxes and riddles stuff must've come from where we're going," the white cat deduced, "Anything else we should know, Pluto."

"Ie, nothing worthwhile, except for his final note:"

"_My supplies have run out, I'm surprised my sanity hasn't done so before. Hope of my people coming for me has been the only thing that has kept me going, now I must face reality. I could go outside, surely the invasion is over by now, but I can't risk it, I know the consequences. There is no other choice but to face Osiris' judgment, may he deem me worthy. My only regret is that I will never see the fabled land of my ancestors, Kaeruh. If this chamber should be discovered in the future, near or distant, I pray it is by a wise and peace loving people._"

"Peace loving people," Sailor Moon repeated. She walked up to the skeleton and knelt. "This man sacrificed everything for the sake of a world he never got a chance to see. Just like the Moon, that planet must have been a beautiful one before the arrival of Pharaoh 90." She rose again, the gleam in her eye was a determined one. "This might be asking for too much, but if the need arises, I want to help those people in any way I can." Everyone agreed and the princess felt grateful. "Now, please help me bury him, it's the least he deserves."

A few minutes later a simple grave had been made and Mars was done blessing it.

"Okay, I'm ready," Venus said, "How about you, Uranus?" The wind senshi hadn't let go of her beloved this whole time.

"Hai, I guess I am." She gave Neptune yet another squeeze and a kiss. "I'll be back as soon as possible, in the meantime, make sure you look after yourself."

"You've told me that already," the wavy-haired senshi chuckled, "By the kami, sometimes you're worse than the princess." One more kiss and she went over to Mercury. "Okay, what do I have to do?"

"Just push this blue triangle. Only one side needs to be operated at a time, the destination point is fixed, and I've confirmed the receiver transporter's functioning, so there's no risk of getting lost."

"Good to know," Artemis said, "I'd hate to end up stranded at some asteroid."

"Relax, Artemis-kun." Venus picked up her feline mentor. "Pretty soon you'll be all over Luna-chan… Eto, you know what I mean."

"Tell Mako-chan not to worry," the odango-headed blonde told Neptune, "We'll be back, with Hotaru-chan."

"I'll be counting the minutes," the ocean senshi replied, "Sayonara, minna-san, be careful out there." She pressed the button, electricity shot out between the tips of the obelisks, the ones standing inside the circle flickered a little, then disappeared completely. Neptune wasn't worried, she knew they were safe and needed no proof of it. Yet, she couldn't help taking a deep breath and shedding a tear. "Please be safe, Haruka, and bring back our Hime-chan."

*****

The planet Kaeruh:

The silence that had reigned there for ages vanished in a second. There was a bright flash and a young man, six girls and a white cat appeared.

"Did it work? Are we here?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Hai," the fire senshi responded, "This room's a lot larger and we're no longer in a cave. Check out the windows."

"Looks like the sun is setting," Venus noted as she took a step forward, "We better go outside before it gets too dark to-Whoop!" (Thud)

"Better use the steps on this side, Venus," Mercury suggested, "This platform's set a little higher than the other one."

"Che, so I noticed."

"Pipe down!" Uranus ordered, "Our arrival must've triggered every alarm in the place, so let's get out of here quickly."

"I doubt it," the dark-haired man replied, "Judging by the dust, I'd say no one's been here in years." He went over to the fallen doors and peered outside, there were a lot of small and ruined structures around. "It's some sort of base, a research station, considering what we've learnt."

"Abandoned, just like the other one," Pluto remarked, "Okay, let's split up and look for something that tells us where we are exactly." Everyone nodded and set out in groups of two and three. The senshi found many interesting things, old computers, weird gadgets and an old diary. Mercury, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen were at the top of a tower. The girls were looking out the windows towards opposite sides.

"We're in a desert," the blonde princess noted, "I expected this, dreaded actually. This means we're gonna have a much harder time getting around, not to mention getting sunburns and sand in our boots."

"Well, there's a city in that direction," the azure-haired one announced, pointing at the lights, "It's a direction to follow, and surely we'll get more information there."

"I agree," the Earth prince said, "Let's go down and tell the others."

"Matte," Sailor Moon called out, "Do you hear that?" The other two went silent and paid attention. Indeed, it was a deep moan, which sounded like an animal. "It's coming from… Over here!" She ran off, ignoring her husband's and friend's warnings. The blue-eyed senshi hurried through the old base and found the source. It was a large woolly beast, about the size of a hippo; it looked like a cross between a duckbilled dinosaur and a yak. The rest of the senshi arrived.

"What is that thing?" Venus asked.

"It's trapped," the Moon princess responded. The frightened creature had its reigns tangled around a heavy log, it tossed a bit when the blonde girl approached, but then caught sight of her caring gaze. "Calm down, big guy, we won't hurt you." She began petting the large animal and it let out a purring sound.

"It's obviously domesticated," the water senshi said as she released the leather bonds, "Probably came from that city I saw."

"Then it knows the way back," the loose-haired blonde deduced, "Mars and I found some beds earlier, we could improvise a sleigh and all of us can ride."

"That's a good idea," Pluto complimented, "but let's wait until tomorrow, it's too dark now."

"Hai," Uranus agreed, "The desert's probably filled with critters that might not be so friendly." She took a deep breath, this wasn't an easy choice. "Well, let's go to sleep so we can get an early start tomorrow. Venus, Mars, lead the way."

Luckily, the creature had saddlebags with some fruit inside, so the senshi were able to have a light supper before going to bed. Artemis offered to take first watch, his small size and speed would allow him to move about easily. They took up three barracks; Mercury, Mars and Venus took the first, the royal couple went into the second, and Uranus and Pluto had the last one. The racer tossed around, unable to get comfortable.

"You never could get used to a strange bed, ne?"

"Ie, it's not that," the sand-blonde replied, "it's just that I'm used to holding someone in my arms."

"Well I'll be glad to keep you company," her mocha-skinned sister offered, "but I'm staying on this bed." They both had a healthy laugh. "You felt her too, ne?"

"Hai, Hime-chan is here. I can't tell where she is, but I know we're on the right track."

"We'll find her, probably a lot sooner than we expect. And who knows, we may learn a lot of things in this new world we're visiting." The ruby-eyed senshi yawned. "Let's go to sleep now, like you said, we've got to get an early start tomorrow morning."

"Hai, sweet dreams, Pluto."

*****

The senshi had a quick breakfast and got on their way. Mars found a wagon in top condition, so they were able to leave a lot earlier than expected. The woolly animal moved pretty fast on the sand, it even seemed happy to do this favor. They all got off right before reaching the city's outskirts.

"Arigato, big guy," Sailor Moon said, "But it's time for you to go home now, they must really miss you back there."

"And we might attract a lot of attention if we go into town with something this big," Mars added, "Matte, how are we supposed to blend in with our fukus?"

"No problem," Pluto answered, "watch." She put her hand on her brooch and reverted, her clothes were now completely different to the ones she wore yesterday. Everyone was surprised at the change, including her.

"Umm, it's that what you were going for, Setsuna-san?" Mercury asked. The new outfit consisted in baggy pants, sash, a bikini top with an obsidian brooch in the middle, and a loose brown coat.

"Eto… well, there are risks in using the default setting. But you must admit it's functional, open at the front, the coat's both breezy and protects from the sun."

"Hai, too bad about the color, all that brown's pretty dull," was the love senshi's opinion, "and a navel ring would've made an excellent accessory. You better change too, Artemis-kun, you may already be a weird cat, but here you're likely to draw a crowd."

"Hai, that's a good idea." _Look who's talking, you're likely to end up looking like a belly dancer. All of the girls ended up in similar outfits, except for Haruka. Her attire was like Mamoru's and Artemis'; sleeveless shirt, a cape draped over the shoulders, and the same baggy pants. The man from Mau had an added difference, he wore white while everyone else was clad in brown. "Let's go, we've been taking too long getting ready."_

The bazaar the group went through when entering the city was a mixture of both old and modern life. Most people traveled by foot, some on motorcycles, the shops sold both crafts and weird-looking electric appliances, there were things that looked like payphones in every other corner, and every now and then they saw children playing with hand-held games. Overall, it looked like a middle-eastern market place, the main difference was that the women weren't forced to cover themselves under ridiculously heavy clothing. But the biggest surprised came when they saw those scaly weasels again, talking.

"Maybe this aroma is more to your liking." One of them was hanging from a post, trying to sell Mamoru some incense sticks. "Good for contemplation, or perhaps something to stimulate the artistic side."

"Arigato, but no," the dark-haired man repeated for the fifth time. Then they hurried away from there before it could throw another pitch. "By the kami, this is one danger I never foresaw."

"I may have to change my 'Death Scream' attack to 'We don't want any'," Setsuna quipped, "Let's split up and look around, if our luck keeps up the way it's been so far, we'll find something else that will take us closer to Hime-chan."

"Agreed," Ami said, "we'll meet in an hour under this statue." She looked up and noticed it was a young woman with a lance.

They set out in pairs. Rei and Usagi headed for what seemed to be the most expensive part of town, and all they found were bargains for cloth and dresses.

"I'm telling you, Rei-chan, it's taking all of my willpower not to accept these offers."

"It's hard for me as well," the maiden confessed, "those models at the corner looked gorgeous. (sigh) Why bother daydreaming? Even if we find time after rescuing Hotaru-chan, we won't be able to buy anything."

"Didn't you check your purse?" the blue-eyed girl asked, "Our currency's changed as well." Rei looked inside. Indeed, instead of paper bills she now carried silver coins.

"Ara, we must've had a lot of diplomatic missions in the past in order to have these advantages." She was distracted and nearly crashed into a girl going the opposite way."

"Hey! Watch where you're going, stupid."

"There's no need to be rude," Usagi scolded.

"You're right, my apologies." The girl took a deep breath. "It's just that I'm so mad. I blew my whole allowance on that stupid wheel and didn't even win a consolation prize." The other two turned to look.

"That's quite a crowd," the raven-haired one noted, "What's the prize?"

"A trip to the capital, via the river in one of the most luxurious ferries in the land of Kaeruh."

"Tempting," the odango-headed blonde said, "I think we'll buy a couple of tickets."

"It's your money." The girl shrugged and left while Usagi dragged Rei over to the contest.

"Usagi, where has your head run off to? We don't have time for these games."

"This game will save us time," the future queen countered. "Think about it, Hotaru-chan, or rather, Sailor Saturn, must be being held prisoner by the leader of this world."

"And leaders live in capitals," Rei completed, "Alright, stand back and get ready to be amazed!"

Thirty minutes later, the group was at the riverside.

"Too bad the ticket's only good enough for four people," Ami sighed, "and that the trip is for women only."

"Don't worry minna-san, Mina-P will do a great job looking after the boys," the loose-haired blonde offered, clinging to Mamoru's shoulder.

"Behave yourself, Mina-chan," Usagi warned jokingly, "you don't want to face my jealousy."

"Wait for us once you reach the capital," Artemis reminded, "Good luck, and keep your eyes and ears open."

"We will," the short-haired girl replied, "Sayonara, see you in two days." Ami, Usagi, Rei and Setsuna boarded the ferry, the others watched it leave until it was out of sight.

"And how do you suggest we get there, Artemis-kun?" Haruka questioned.

"That boat can't be the only way into the capital, all we have to do is look for an agency and pool our cash."

"'Our cash'?" Mamoru chuckled, "And how much are you planning to contribute?"

"I'm coming up with ideas, aren't I?"

"Quiet guys, I think I found our ticket." Minako was leaning against a wall, peeking around the corner. The others mimicked and heard the following bit of conversation.

"Hurry up with those damn packages!" a man with a long brown beard ordered, "We should be halfway to the capital by now!" The sand-blonde knew what her friend was planning and slapped herself.

"Mina-chan, it's one thing to sneak into the front row of a concert. But, stowaways?"

"It wouldn't be the first time we bend the rules," the dark-haired man pointed out, "We'll make it up to them later. Let's hurry, looks like they're about to leave." They sneaked into a large trailer. It was being pulled by two of the animals they found at the ruins, except these ones had cybernetic hind legs.

"Any idea what they're carrying?" the white-clad man asked.

"I don't know, but we're not peeking," Haruka said sternly, "And why should it matter? All we need to know is that it's an effective (_and cheap_) way to reach Hime-chan." They heard someone approach and hid behind the crates.

"This one's full, sir," one of the workers said as he closed the doors to the vehicle.

"Good. Are you sure the cargo will be safe during the journey?"

"Very sure, I double checked the shock absorbers an hour ago. Believe me, nothing will blow up until you press the detonator."


	3. Heritage 3

****

Heritage

Chapter 3:

Outers' Manor:

"_NANI!? What do you mean they left without us!?_"

"Ouch." Michiru switched the phone to her other ear. "Mako-chan, I enjoy Beethoven, but I don't want to be him."

"_Gomen, it's just that getting the news so suddenly upset me. I appreciate Usagi-chan's consideration, but please, keep me inside the loop_." There was a short pause and a soft grumble. "_Are you absolutely sure they'll be okay?_"

"Certainly. Knowing Usagi-chan, she must be making the best out of whatever situation she's in, no matter how dire."

*****

"Minna-san, come quickly!" Ami and Rei rushed to answer their princess' calling. "Look over there, they're just too kawaii!" The odango-headed blonde was pointing at a flock of crested purple flamingos, their chicks were neon-pink and fluffy.

"Usagi, you seem to be enjoying yourself a lot, even without Mamoru-kun's company," the shrine maiden commented.

"Well, I was feeling a little down at first, then I pondered 'Mamo-chan wants me to be happy', so I am. And Setsuna-san agrees with me." The mocha-skinned woman was lying on a folding chair, catching some rays.

"I'm not idle, mind you," she defended as she lowered her sunglasses, "I'm busy looking for someone who may aid us in our search for Hime-chan, and I do believe I've found her. Look over there." Ami followed her older friend's line of vision and saw a woman standing by the ship's board. The left side of her dark-brown hair was cut short at the shoulder, while the right side reached her waist. Her clothing was white with golden linings, expensive-looking, but that wasn't unusual, after all this was a luxury cruise.

"I don't get it," the azure-haired girl said, "What's so special about that lady?"

"Her travelling companion," Setsuna answered. The three girls followed her indications and their eyes went wide as saucers. This was the largest woman they'd ever seen, very tall and extremely muscular. The black attire and short hair enhanced the intimidating appearance. "From her behavior and the way she keeps a set distance, I'd say she's a bodyguard."

"Good observation," Rei complemented, "This indicates she's someone famous or important, maybe an actress or a singer. In any case, she can guide us through the city. The question is: how are we going to get her to do that?"

"Leave it to me!" Usagi announced as she stepped forward.

"Matte, Usagi! Don't-" It was no use, expecting the worst, the longhaired girl covered her face and groaned. "Tell me when it's over."

"Hao, nice view, ne?" The dark-skinned woman didn't even acknowledge the blue-eyed girl. "I prefer the nighttime scenery," Usagi insisted, "the deep-blue sky, the starts, the way the sand reflects the-"

"May I help you, or are you here to waste my time?"

"Uh, gomen, it's just that I saw you from over there and noticed your uneasiness, so I thought I could help by cheering you up a little."

"Cheer up?" The taller brunette huffed and turned to face the smaller blonde. "I only took this ship because it was the last one leaving for the capital yesterday. I'm not like you silly ninnies who just care about having fun while being totally oblivious to the world around you."

"Umm, well, I can't say I'm thoroughly informed," Usagi stuttered. Thanks to her bad habit of eavesdropping, she'd become aware of a few things: a newly crowned queen, a separatist movement, a marriage proposal, a suspected affair, and a sale at some jewelry downtown. "I just-" She felt something heavy land on her shoulder, the blue-eyed girl looked up and saw the bodyguard, who was even more imposing up close.

"You should leave now."

"(gulp) Hai."

"Bakh, wait," the dark-skinned woman called, "She's right, I do feel troubled." She glanced at the riverbank, the blonde girl was right, it was a lovely view. "I'm only thirty-four, much too young to allow work to make a grouch out of me." She took a deep breath and turned to Usagi, that bright smile was contagious. "All right, I'm game."

"Okay! Follow me, I'll introduce you to my friends." The odango-headed girl led her new acquaintance. "These are Meioh Setsuna, Mizuno Ami and Hino Rei, and I am Tsukino Usagi."

"I'm pleased to meet you all. My name is Samenat, and this is Bakh." The large woman nodded from where she stood. "She's a trained professional, so she won't speak much, still, she's good company." The six femmes went indoors and sat at a table. "This is your first visit to the capital, correct?"

"Hai," the shorthaired girl answered, "We're planning to do a little sightseeing, visit some historical places, you know, get a little culture in our holiday."

"Won't you ever change?" Rei wondered out loud.

"There are a lot of places I could recommend," Samenat said, "I'd love to be your guide through the city, but I'm afraid I still have too much work to do. Still, I might find some free time so I can invite you over for dinner at my home."

"We'll be delighted," Setsuna replied. She then noticed something, a golden medallion the brunette wore around her neck; it had the relief of three hawk heads, front and both profiles. "Ara, it's beautiful. Is it a family heirloom?" Samenat leaned back on her chair.

"Now I know you guys are foreign. This is the-" Suddenly, a scream was heard from outside, Bakh ran over to find out the reason.

"Madam, we're being boarded!" she said as she picked up her charge. "You must go back to your stateroom, quickly." Before the large woman could do this, an avalanche of girls rushed into the room, forced by six armed men dressed in red wetsuits and masks, a few more remained outside.

"Listen up!" the leader shouted, "A minister is travelling on this ferry, she's the one we're after. Hand her over and no one else will get hurt." Several passengers and crew members had already been injured. The brunette scowled as she clutched her medallion.

"And that's what this thing represents, though I wish you would've found out-Huh?" Usagi and her friends were gone, they'd taken advantage of the earlier confusion to find a place to henshin. "Hmph, some friends I made."

"We want her now!" the troop leader demanded, firing his weapon. To show he wasn't bluffing, he grabbed a girl and held the energized knife against her head. "I'm counting to ten!" The longhaired woman was about to surrender but was held back by her bodyguard.

"Madam, I can't allow you to give in to them, you're much too important to this world."

"At this moment I'm most important to these people. If that madman kills her it will be my responsibility."

"Shabon Spray!"

A blue mist filled the room suddenly and the six terrorists were slammed violently against the wall, when it cleared, they saw the senshi ready for battle. Sailor Moon stepped forward and made her introduction.

"This trip is a chance to escape routine and enjoy the good things in life, a lot of these people get such an opportunity only once in a lifetime. You not only ruined a cruise, you ruined dreams, and because of that, you will be punished in the name of the moon. The one of Earth, that is."

"Do we take them seriously?" one of the men in red asked.

"Oh, you definitely should. Fire Soul Bird!" The flaming creature swiped three of them out the large windows, Pluto swung her staff and batted another one through the door, Bakh grabbed the remaining pair and threw them out like rag dolls. Meanwhile, the water senshi and Moon princess ran outside to take care of those on the deck.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!"

"Silver Moon, Crystal Power Kiss!" All the villains in sight were blasted into the water. "Mars, follow me to the other side, there's sure to be more jerks around."

"Right," the fire senshi replied as she made the giant leap.

"This is not good," the leader observed, "Retreat!"

"Don't let them escape," the large woman called, "We need one for questioning."

"I'm on it." The floor was wet because of Mercury's attack, the time senshi used that to slide and trip one of the men. She got to her feet and pinned him with her weapon. "Arigato, so kind of you to stop." She reached down and pulled away the mask. "Nani?" He wasn't human at all, the trooper looked as though he were made from some kind of white plaster; and the face had no distinguishing features at all, if you could even call that a face. It wheezed then crumbled to pieces.

"By the kami, what was that thing?" an appalled Mercury asked.

"A flesh golem," the bodyguard responded, "Strong, obedient, and too stupid to remember more than one thing at once. We won't get any answers from it. As to the subject of questions, who are you?"

"Tourists," Pluto quipped, "You'll hear from us again," she added with a wink. The two senshi left without another word. Bakh decided to ignore them and take care of the still panicked passengers, there would be time to solve this mystery later.

Mars got into a narrow passage and reverted to Rei. Just as she was about to step out, she saw Samenat and backed away. The minister was talking into a cellular, and it was obviously important since she had moved away from the crowd. Hidden, the shrine maiden listened in on the conversation.

"Yeah, I'm okay, just a little startled… I was rescued by the sailor senshi, yep, the ones her highness told us about… No, I couldn't even get near them, they left just as suddenly as they appeared… Of course you must report this! You know who they're here for, and I don't think I need to remind you of how difficult it was to both find and bring her here… I doubt it, but I'll keep my eyes peeled in case they do. Changing the subject, any news from my husband?… Terrific! Listen, I have to go. I'll arrive at the palace tomorrow, have everything ready for me." The brunette turned off her phone and left. Rei took a moment to assimilate the information.

__

So now they have a queen, and she knows about us already, which places us in a precarious position. Better keep a low profile as senshi. The young girl went to tell the others. I hope Mamoru-tachi don't run into any difficulties.

*****

The desert:

From atop a distant dune, two men were using binoculars to watch over the very caravan Mamoru, Minako, Haruka and Artemis had hitched a ride on. Their sand-colored uniforms and identical weapons indicated that they were in the military.

"Our spy's report was correct. They're heading for the capital, west by southwest."

"Do you think the information about their cargo is also accurate?"

"I hope not! Come, let's inform the general before they can go any further."

"Is it a flat tire?" Artemis asked tiredly.

"Hai," the sand-blonde answered, "Another round, or should we try a different game?"

"No thanks, I'm fed up," Mina said, "(grumble) This was definitely not one of my best ideas. How much longer do you think it will take until we reach the city?"

"Not that much," was Mamoru's opinion, "We're travelling in a straight line and our speed is fairly high, we may even get there before Usako and the others. Our only concern should be not getting caught." No sooner he finished saying this, the vehicle came to a sudden halt and an awful ruckus came from outside.

"Chikuso, what's going on?" The longhaired man pressed his ear against the wall, even in this form his senses were very acute. "I hear screaming and shooting, and those thumps must me animals galloping. Princess Mau have mercy, we've been struck by marauders!"

"They're the ones who should be asking for mercy," Haruka corrected as she gripped her henshin rod, "No one is getting between Hime-chan and I."

"Ie, not yet," the black-haired man said as he pulled her down. "We don't know how many we're up against. Listen, they're bound to check each container, we'll attack then and gain the element of surprise."

"Great plan," Artemis agreed, "let's hide."

The assault was short, soon, everything was quiet except for a few gruff orders and protests. The door flew open and the four heroes readied themselves. Two soldiers and one of those weasels (a pammul) entered and opened one of the crates.

"Unbelievable!" the scaly critter exclaimed, "If all these boxes are the same, then there's enough explosives here to blow away a whole mountain."

"NANI!?" Artemis sprung up like a jack-in-the box. The soldiers were surprised at first, but recovered just as quickly and aimed their weapons.

"Come on out, hands above your head." The other three complied, shooting killer stares at their jumpy friend.

"Artemis-kun, prepare yourself for divine retribution," the longhaired blonde threatened.

"Oh, and I suppose the news of sitting on a bomb didn't scare you at all, ne?"

"Quit griping," a bearded soldier ordered, "you were going to be found and arrested either way."

"Arrested?" Mamoru questioned, "You mean you're not bandits?"

"Certainly not!" the younger one protested, "We proudly serve in Grand Pharaoh's army, well, it's the queen's army now. And you are being charged with terrorism."

"Matte!" The racer turned and faced her captors. "I'm not going to stand for false charges, you can't just accuse us of something out of the blue."

"This caravan was being driven by the separatist army, they were heading for the capital, carrying a huge load of explosives, and you were with them," the pammul listed, "do the math, moron."

"Precisely. Now get moving and-" The young soldier poked Haruka on the chest as he was saying this and drew back immediately with a shocked expression.

"How kind of you to notice."

"What's wrong?" the bearded one asked.

"He has, that is, she has, I mean, she's a woman."

"Seriously?" The pammul hopped onto the racer and peered down her shirt. "Whoa, you ain't kidding!" Next thing he knew, he was the first of his kind to fly.

"I wasn't expecting that reaction," Artemis commented.

"Is there a problem here?" A tall man with his head shaven came up from the brig. He was around forty, scarred and battle-worn, with bracelets on his forearm that indicated rank. "I thought we had already rounded up all of the captives. And what was the cause for this outburst?"

"Everything is under control, General Menmaht, Sir," the bearded soldier assured, "These four were hiding inside one of the trailers, and Jo misbehaved a little."

"A little? That rat needs a severe lesson in discipline," the shorthaired woman fumed.

"If I may speak in our defense," Mamoru requested as he stepped forward, "despite the apparent circumstances, we don't know who these people are nor had any idea of their intentions. We were simply trying to reach a friend at the capital."

"It may be as you say," the scarred man replied, "but as you said, the circumstances do not favor you. Furthermore, I am a general, not a judge, and this is not a courthouse. You will come as prisoners, later on you shall have the opportunity to plead your case."

"Fair enough," the dark-haired man accepted with a bow, "Follow me, minna-san." The four heroes were greeted by surprised stares as they went through the barred door.

"Who the hell are you guys?"

"A lucky bunch of baka," Minako answered as she sat down and got comfortable. _I'll play along for now, it shouldn't be so bad; Menmaht seems to be a decent fellow, and he's handsome for a man his age, he might even give us a hand in proving our innocence. Still, we better make a break for it as soon as we get the chance_.

*****

The Capital, Imperial palace:

Hotaru was petting Luna as she stared at a blank spot on the ceiling.

"Try not to worry, Hotaru-chan," the black cat suggested, "I'm sure Sailor Moon and the others will arrive soon."

"That's just what I need," the amethyst-eyed girl replied, "more people to suffer the consequences of my carelessness."

"Be fair to yourself, you had no way of knowing this would happen."

"Well I should have known." Hotaru put her furry friend down and looked out the window. "One way or another, I am the cause of this problem." She gave a steely glare and made a fist. "But I won't wallow in self-pity, I'm determined to become the solution, even if it kills me."

"You sound as if you want to do this all by yourself," Luna observed. The door opened and an elderly man entered, he wore a deep-blue robe with red patterns sewn on. Like Samenat, he wore a medallion, except this one was silver with crocodile heads.

"Oh, you're awake," he noted with a tone of disappointment.

"Hai, she is," the alien feline hissed, "and even if she were asleep, you can be sure I'd be keeping guard. Is there even a reason for you to be here?"

"Hmph, of course there is, I'm here to bring you news that you might find pleasant."

"My friends are here," the pale girl guessed, "I felt them the moment they arrived."

"Really? Well then, I shall everything ready for their arrival."

*****

The ferry, nighttime:

"They're daimon, there's no doubt about it," Usagi said as she got into the bunk-bed. During the afternoon fight, she and Mars had a run in with two more of those plaster-people. Among the remains, the Moon princess had found a small pink seed. "I guess it's pretty obvious who the bad guys are."

"But they're not the ones who took Hotaru-chan," the shrine maiden objected, "What I overheard from Samenat-san was practically a confession to having kidnapped her."

"There's a factor you're letting out," Ami pointed out, "The behavior she displayed during the hostage situation was very honorable, and Bakh-san's loyalty is one you can neither buy or threaten out.

"I realize that," Rei replied, "In fact, I'm hoping we can still get along with Samenat-san, I'm really beginning to like her. She's both courteous and ladylike, and could become a great influence on Usagi."

"She could teach you a thing or two as well, Rei-chan," the blue-eyed blonde retorted.

"Let's look at the situation logically," the mocha-skinned woman suggested, "There's a queen and there are rebels, and their respective alignments are clear. Perhaps Hime-chan was taken because her help is needed, and I'm sure the ones we fought at Juban would've explained if it wasn't for the damaged translators."

"This must take a weight off your mind," Usagi guessed, "After all, it means Hotaru-chan isn't in as much danger as we once thought."

"Hai, that much is true," Setsuna sat up and hugged her legs, "Still, I feel very upset; friend or foe, that queen is going to get a piece of my mind. Plus, don't forget that this is Mistress 9's world of origin," her ruby eyes narrowed. "Hidden memories may trigger, some more painful than others."

*****

The Desert, nighttime:

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" The longhaired blonde had spilled the beans and the terrorists were laughing mercilessly. "Can anybody be more stupid?" Haruka's mood was going from bad to worse.

"Either you zip it, or I'll seal your traps permanently."

"Yeah? Think you can take us on?"

"All ten of you at once," the racer boasted, "with both hands tied behind my back."

"Hey, knock it off in there," the guard warned as he banged on the bars on the door, "we've got chains at the ready, you know."

"We'll behave," Artemis answered as he patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Whatever." The oldest of the villains, the one that commanded the team, leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Grand Pharaoh, what a joke. The only real king this world has ever had is Pharaoh 90 and they know it."

"Pharaoh 90?" Mamoru sat up, "Now who's the stupid one? Not only are you fighting for a tyrant's cause, but for one who's been dead for years. How can you allow yourselves to be manipulated from beyond the grave?"

"Oh please, do I look like a religious fanatic? I wouldn't go through so much trouble without a juicy and tangible reward. The pharaoh had a successor, and once he reclaims the throne, his most loyal followers will become noblemen."

"Matte!" Haruka stood up in a flash, "Succeeded by whom? Who is your new leader?" she demanded.

"Hush, I heard something." The loose-haired blonde went to the small window at the door. "Hello, guard? That's odd, I can't even see him." Then there was an odd noise. Everyone turned and saw sparks, an opening was being carved on the wall. A few minutes and the hole was done.

"Outside," a soft emotionless voice called. The terrorists shared chuckles and high-fives.

"You're welcome to come along," one of them offered.

"And make Menmaht-sama think we've got something to do with you jerks?" the black-haired man huffed, "Forget it, we're staying here and facing the consequences of our actions." The villain shrugged and left. "Baka, they won't get far, we're in the middle of an army camp and that piece of the wall made too much noise when it fell. They'll be back, plus one more." The first two returned much sooner than expected, they ran inside and curled up in a corner.

"Did you have a pleasant stroll?" Artemis mocked. But when he noticed the extreme panic in their faces, he knew something had gone wrong, and the screams and explosions outside confirmed that thought. The white-haired man going to have a look for himself when the terrorist leader appeared, with the tip of a black staff through his neck. A couple of shakes and the killer yanked him out. "What the hell is going on out there!?" They all rushed to the threshold and saw something completely unexpected, rescuer and killer were one and the same. It was a young, pale girl, with dark-violet hair held in a pigtail that reach down to her knees; she was dressed in a form-fitting, deep-purple outfit and wore a silver mask, which made her look like a faceless creature. Several bodies were at her feet, both criminals and law-abiders.

"I am here for your general," she announced with her empty tone, "stay away or share his fate."

"It's her," a soldier gulped, "that death huntress we've heard so much about."

"We'll never betray Menmaht!" a younger one yelled, "We'll fight to the last man!" Four of his friends shared this reckless enthusiasm and charged. The longhaired girl sighed tiredly and readied her staff, each of her following moves was decisive and brutal. The first two were hit on the chin at the same time by her weapon, breaking their necks; the third, who was coming from behind, was kicked on the chest so fiercely that his heart stopped; she then swung her staff and smashed the fourth's skull; finally, she twirled to whip the last one on the neck with her pigtail, a seemingly harmless act, except for the razor-sharp wire braided in her hair. The blood splashed her mask and she didn't even flinch.

"Nieduan!" The pale assassin turned and saw Menmaht, armed with a large saber. "If it is me you want, then fight!" he defied. Both adversaries tensed their muscles and attacked.

"Chikuso, he won't last a minute against her!" Minako exclaimed, "And we can't henshin because of those-"

"These bozos?" The white-clad man was standing next to the two villains, he'd knocked them out by banging their heads together. "You guys better henshin and take care of business."

"Artemis-kun, you're a dear. Venus crisis power, make up!"

"Uranus crisis power, make up!" They leapt outside along Tuxedo Kamen.

"Rose bombs!" The scarred man was about to get the final blow when Nieduan leapt away from the exploding flowers. No sooner she landed, she had to parry against the Space Sword. Even though the wind senshi was much larger, they had equal strength.

"How can a child like you do this?" By her stature, Uranus figured that her opponent was barely fourteen.

"Age is meaningless for one who was bred for war." The pale girl let herself drop backwards, throwing the sand-blonde off balance. She then planted her feet on her stomach, held her up, and started delivering a series of kicks.

"Venus Love me Chain!" The love senshi pulled her friend away before she could receive any more damage. "You okay, Uranus?"

"(cough) Ugh, thank the kami she's not wearing boots." The shorthaired senshi gritted her teeth and got up. "Let's see if that brat can juggle this ball. World Shaking!"

"Agony Wail!" Nieduan's counterattack was a dark spark fired from the tip of her staff, it absorbed the amber orb and blew away the two senshi. She would've rushed over to finish them if it wasn't for Menmaht and Tuxedo Kamen attacking simultaneously.

"With all due respect, General, you should leave," the Earth prince recommended, "those are very serious wounds."

"I thank you for your concern, whoever you are," the military man replied, "but I can't leave and let others fight for me while I still have faculties."

"Admirable," the pale assassin praised sincerely, "I can see why you are considered a threat." She pressed a hidden button on her weapon and it gave a blinding flash, disabling her enemies. "A threat no longer. GAAHH!" Something hard and sharp had hit the side of her head; unable to stand by much longer, Artemis had picked up and thrown a small shield.

"I don't have any magic, but I do know how to improvise."

"Damn you!" The tables had turned on Nieduan. Her wound both stung and bled terribly, Venus and Uranus had gotten back on their feet, and the rest of the soldiers were regrouping. Cursing, she took a blue bead out of her belt and crushed it. The violet-haired girl was surrounded by an energy field and took off.

"Who can possibly cause all this chaos single-handedly?" the blue-eyed senshi wondered as she looked at the nearly demolished camp.

"I don't know," her taller comrade answered, "Although, there's something frighteningly familiar about that girl."


	4. Heritage 4

**Heritage**

**Chapter 4:**

"We'll be leaving in fifteen minutes," the guard announced as he brought breakfast, "Be ready by then." Since the brig had been destroyed during the battle last night, Mamoru and the others were assigned to a guarded tent, after all they were still under custody. At least they were put separate from the other two prisoners.

"I believe it's about time we gave our thanks to Artemis-kun," Minako suggested, "It was his quick thinking what save the day."

"I was just lucky," the disguised cat replied humbly, "The rest of you, along with Menmaht-san, did the real work." He fiddled with the spoon before talking again. "The general's a noble man, there's no doubt about that. But, should we trust him?"

"It's hard to tell," Mamoru answered, "While the terrorists follow Pharaoh 90, the soldiers in this army use the same spears and uniforms as the ones we faced back in Tokyo."

"Which means Menmaht-san belongs to the side that has kidnapped Hotaru-chan," the white-haired one concluded, "This is complicated, we better wait until we reach the capital and reunite with the others."

"Either way, I'm keeping my guard up," Haruka said, "That girl might strike again at any moment. As strong as she might've seemed, I'm certain we didn't even see a fraction of her might."

"She was frightening, to say the least," the longhaired girl added, "Even without that mask, I'll bet her face is just as expressionless." She tapped her spoon on the tray. "I have the feeling Nieduan is going to be our biggest worry, we better learn as much as possible about her." The guard returned after a while, announcing that they were about to leave. The Japanese heroes were going to ride on two of those mechanized animals the rest of the way, Minako and Artemis got on one, Mamoru and Haruka on the other. Menmaht gave the order and they started moving.

"Matte!" Minako called, "What about them?" She noticed that the ones that had fallen last night were just lying there.

"We're leaving them, of course," one of the soldiers answered, "We were born from the desert and the desert claims us." The young girl looked overhead, the buzzards were already gathering.

"Do me a favor, Artemis-kun, if something should happen to me, insist on cremation."

*****

A separatist fort:

Nieduan touched her head where the shield had struck, the wound was almost healed, and by tomorrow there wouldn't even be a scar. She didn't feel bad about being beaten, she wouldn't have felt good about succeeding either, she'd been trained not to allow anything to affect her. There was a knock at the door.

"One moment!" The pale girl reached for her mask and put it on. "You may enter." A sixteen-year-old boy with regulation buzz-cut hair came into the room.

"Miss Nieduan I-Yikes!" He turned away in a hurry, the beautiful assassin was toweling herself dry. She didn't seem to notice, so he composed himself and delivered the message. "Ahem, the lieutenant requests your immediate presence in his office."

"Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes," the pale girl replied as she started braiding her extra-long hair, "You may leave now." Although calm, her empty voice was enervating.

"Yes, Miss Nieduan." Just as he was about to open the door, he took the chance and glanced over his shoulder. _She might kill me for this, but she is a vision worth dying for_, he thought as he left.

A few minutes later, fully clothed and fixed up, the pale girl entered her superior's office. Two men were waiting for her, one was wearing a white coat and was standing beside the desk, the other was dressed in dark-blue uniform, looking out the window.

"You called for me, Lieutenant Simm?"

"Yes, Nieduan." The man at the window went to the front of his desk. "In all my years in the army, I've heard hundreds of excuses, and to be frank, I was expecting to hear at least one from you." The petit girl remained unfazed as he came closer. "Why did you fail last night?"

"I was overpowered and badly wounded, Sir. I had to escape in order to stay alive."

"I see." Simm started yelling at her face. "You are a soldier in Lord Sarkoz' army! Your miserable life is worth nothing! When you receive an order, you carry it out to the end, or the end of you!" Nieduan remained still.

"She was following orders, Lieutenant," the old man in white spoke up, "She's been trained to obey, but mostly to survive. If odds become too much, she must retreat."

"Maybe so, Dr. Noom, but I don't care. When Nieduan was brought into my command, she became my property, she acts by my rules and discipline." The officer turned to her once more. "As exceptional as your performance has been this last month, even if this is only your first mistake after a perfect record, I will not make exceptions, you must respond for your failure." A large man with a whip tied around his bare torso entered. "Escort her to the yard." He did so, with notable nervousness, Simm and Noom followed.

"Nieduan is no ordinary soldier," the latter reminded, "A lot of time and resources have been invested into making her the perfect fighter and assassin, Pharaoh 90 himself oversaw the first years of her training. If she were to loose her life while under your supervision, you will end up begging to have yours ended."

"You're authorized to stop me, yours is the last word in whatever decision that concerns her."

"Oh no, I won't stop you. This could turn into a learning experience for the child," the old scientist chuckled, "and for you."

"Hey, Kemm, you survived!" a young girl greeted as the teen who had taken the message to the death-huntress approached. Since Kemm was a recently transferred cadet, he was the one bullied into running errands concerning Nieduan, a task everyone dreaded given her bloody reputation. "So, gimme the news. Did she look angry after failing her first mission since her arrival? Damn bitch, so perfect in everything she does." The blue-haired boy sat down beside her with a glazed stare. "Kemm?"

"She was…taking a bath," he responded, his friend's eyes went as wide as saucers, "I'm serious, Batt, she was coming out of the tub, not a stitch on her."

"Kemm, you devil!" The girl grabbed him by the neck and gave him a noogie. "I didn't know you had it in you."

"Hey, it's not like I did it on purpose. And I didn't see that much, just…umm," His face went bright red, "enough."

"I'll bet," Batt chuckled, "Is she pretty?"

"Quite, lots more than you, which is easy to accomplish."

"Ha, ha, very funny. Well, I'm going to miss you, I'll even hold a minute of silence in your memory. 'Cause, dude, she's going to kill you."

"Nah, she's not the maniac everyone makes her out to be." Kemm took a pensive position. "Now that I think about it, she must've known I was going to see her naked the moment I entered her room, she just didn't mind."

"Good point. She's never in any sort of mood, so it's logical to think she wouldn't be embarrassed either. Isn't there anything that affects her?" Batt tapped her teeth with her fingernail and glimpsed ahead. "We're about to find out." She pointed towards a part of the wall, distinguished by chains and bloodstains on the floor. Nearly everyone in the fort had taken their turn there, and had the scars to prove it. Now, the death huntress was being taken. The buzz-cut girl rubbed her back. "I never thought I'd see the day. How long do you think she'll last?"

"After the stories we've heard, who knows," Kemm responded, "I do know it's a shame to ruin that body."

"Knock it off."

A crowd gathered as the executioner shackled Nieduan and lowered the upper part of her outfit. Lieutenant Simm stood on a platform and addressed the troops.

"For failure to complete an assignment, commissioned by Lord Sarkoz himself I will add, Nieduan is to be whipped until loss of consciousness." He turned towards her, "Do you understand the reason for your punishment?"

"Yes, Sir," the pigtailed girl plainly answered. The large man stepped away, gripped his whip, threw back his arm and… just stood there.

"Begin!" the gray-haired lieutenant snapped.

"Y-yes, Sir." The executioner tried again, but couldn't gather the courage. Noom sighed and shook his head.

"Nieduan, please assure your fellow soldier that he has nothing to fear, there will be no reprisals."

"I will not harm him," the pale girl complied, "I have no reason to." The executioner still couldn't carry out his order.

"I'll do it!" A tall man with an angular face volunteered. "What matters is whipping her, there's no difference in who does it." Simm raised an eyebrow, this soldier was known for using excessive force and abusing those who were helpless, it was obvious he wanted to do this for his own satisfaction.

"Very well, take the whip." With an insanely eager smile, the tall man grabbed the weapon and cracked it. "And maintain decorum!"

"Uh, yes, Sir." Even after calming down, the first lash sounded like a thunderclap, causing everyone present to wince, but not a peep came from Nieduan. "Though girl, eh? You'll be wailing soon enough."

'Soon' never came, over half an hour passed and Nieduan remained motionless and silent. Some stayed, curious to find out how much longer she could last, most left, unable to keep witnessing this inhuman act.

"By the nine gods, her skin is practically gone!" Batt gasped, "She can't be human." Kemm was standing beside her, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist.

"This must stop." He took one step and his friend pulled her back.

"Are you crazy? Simm will have your head!"

"This isn't discipline, this is sadism," the blue-haired boy stated, "I won't allow Nieduan to suffer much longer."

"There's nothing you can do," the young girl insisted, "besides, they're almost done." Indeed, three more lashes and fatigue claimed victory.

"I can't go on!" the tall man panted, rubbing his aching arm. "My shoulder feels like it's about to come off." No one could believe it, the only one who wasn't surprised was Noom.

"Do you see how strong Nieduan is, Simm? How durable we made her?" the old man asked, "You can no longer doubt her value." The gray-haired officer would not admit defeat.

"As strong as she may be, her competence is still to be proven." He tossed the keys at the kneeling man and barked out his orders, "Release her, afterwards, you are dismissed." The soldier unwillingly obeyed.

"Don't you dare laugh, bitch," he growled once he reached her. Her silence was taken as an insult, and his anger made him imagine mocking faces under that mask. The mask, no one had ever seen what was under it, and countless tales had been told. Some said Nieduan had had an accident with that staff of hers, burned the skin off; others that some gladiator she fought during her training years was the one who had scarred her, stomped on her head and grounded it against jagged rocks. Then he realized her hands were bound, it was the perfect opportunity to uncover the truth. He grabbed the mask and pulled it away. "Not ba-Ugh!" His head was twisted 180º, the fool had found the trigger for Nieduan's fury. Quickly, she put the mask back on.

"With your permission, Commander, I shall retire to my quarters." An astonished Simm simply nodded.

"She snapped those chains as though they were string," he gasped, "She could've freed herself at any time." He narrowed his eyes at the old scientist. "Is there something else you're keeping from me?"

"Plenty, but you'll find out in due time."

*****

The Capital:

It was late afternoon when the ship docked. Usagi and her friends, along with Samenat and her bodyguard, disembarked.

"This is where we part ways," the brown-haired woman said, "I wish to thank you for your company, I enjoyed myself immensely."

"You're welcome Samenat-san," the mocha-skinned one replied, "I trust we'll meet again."

"Whoa, check it out!" The young maiden directed everyone's attention towards a castle on top a hill, overseeing the whole city. "The one who lives there must be the richest in Kaeruh."

"The one who lives there owns Kaeruh," an amused Samenat corrected, "That's the imperial palace."

"Where the queen lives?" Ami asked.

"Uh-huh. Quite a work of architecture, a large part of the structure is underground. And as minister, I both live and work there." She put on her white cape. "Speaking of which, I'm running late. Goodbye everyone."

"Sayonara, Samenat-san," the blonde replied cheerfully. The female quartet headed to where they could talk freely. "Well, now we know where to start our search for Hotaru-chan."

"Hai, and we're going to need an amazing plan to even get close," Ami said, "The place must be heavily guarded."

"If the queen does know something about Hime-chan's whereabouts, it's as secure as a cookie jar on the kitchen floor," Setsuna countered, "The question is: How are we going to get in there?"

"Why not introduce ourselves as who we are?" Usagi proposed, "Negotiating with foreign rulers is what a princess is supposed to do, ne? And it's always best to start with the open-hand approach."

"What if they turn out to be our enemies and try to steal the ginzuishou?" Rei questioned, "We shouldn't let them know who we are until we learn more about them."

"The first thing we should do is call the others and see if they've arrived," the shorthaired one pointed out. She turned on her communicator. "Haruka, do you copy?"

"_Shh, not so loud!_" There was a slight pause. "_We have to be cautious, if the guards find out what we're up to, we're toast_."

"Guards? Mamo-chan, where are you?"

"_Well, Usako, several things occurred and we ended up in the slammer_." The girls looked at each other in surprise.

"They must've followed Mina-chan's plan," the raven-haired girl wagered.

"_I heard that_. _And before you start your belly-aching, I'll have you know we already have a plan. In his original form, it's easy for Artemis-kun to sneak around and find his way outside, then he'll be able to let you inside, and once we're reunited, we can start our search for Hotaru-chan. We've got a hunch she's in here, at the maximum security levels_."

"Hai, we came to a similar conclusion," Rei replied, "And where is the prison? Can you give us any indication?"

"_It's on the eastern side of the palace_," Artemis answered, "_The place is two in one, living quarters for the queen and military headquarters, and that's where we're being held_."

"Now that's a favorable coincidence!" Setsuna said, "Very well, let's rendezvous midnight. As for the rest of us, let's go find a motel."

*****

The Palace, throne room:

Samenat made it her duty to inform her ruler about the battle that occurred during her voyage up the river, she also commented about her new friends, and received quite a surprise.

"They are the senshi!?" The longhaired woman could hardly believe her ears. "I would've expected that from Setsuna, Rei, or Ami, but never Usagi."

"You might consider that to be a trait. Do you have any way of contacting them?"

"No, but I did give them my card. If we're lucky they'll call soon."

"Hmm, it's more likely they'll try to break in before doing that. Better alert the guards."

*****

Palace dungeon:

"Hey, did you guys really fight the death huntress and survive?" Rumors spread like wildfire, and the senshi acquired quite a bit of fame in a matter of hours. The rookie guard was very eager to confirm the story he heard.

"I thought talking to the prisoners was forbidden," Minako teased.

"Aww, come on, what harm could it do?"

"First of all, you heard wrong," Mamoru pointed out, "We only watched from the brig, the ones who fought were those two girls and that man in black, along with General Menmaht."

"Who's the death huntress exactly?" the racer inquired, "She sounds like some ghost story to scare children into behaving."

"Stories are all we've got," the young man confessed, "There are several versions about her origin, for example: that she's a demon summoned from another dimension; others say she happens to be Pharaoh 90's bastard child; in my opinion, she's a highly-advanced golem, like the one Bob built."

_By golem he must mean android_, Haruka thought. "Do you know anything that's fact?"

"Sure, several assassinations during the last five months. She's murdered scientists, sponsors and military leaders; each strike of hers weakens our defenses." He sighed worriedly and started murmuring, "Can her majesty stop her? Can she really bring the war to an end? As legendary as her power may be-"

"Yo, Tim, what's taking so long?" a voice called from the hallway.

"You better leave before we get you into trouble," Haruka suggested.

"Right." The rookie waved goodbye. "Good luck at the trial tomorrow."

"This Bob person must be a scientist like the late Prof. Tomoe," Artemis guessed, "Why doesn't he simply build stronger golems? Then there would be nothing to fear from Nieduan."

"If he did that, the enemy would respond with bigger and stronger weapons," the dark-haired man replied, "it's a vicious circle, a deadly one at that."

"Personally, it's hard to take a guy named Bob 'seriously'," Minako said. She got comfortable. "Let's go to sleep. We've got a big job ahead of us, especially you, Artemis-kun."

"Hai," the man from Mau agreed, "Goodnight, minna-san."

*****

"Boy, security's really tight around these parts," Sailor Moon whistled. She and the senshi had been forced to change hiding places four times so far. "It's plain to see they've got a war in their hands."

"Hai, although they are handling it more maturely than many countries on Earth," the water senshi said, "where paranoia's so high that they shoot down mosquitoes with Uzis."

"Hai," Pluto agreed, "there's tension for a while, nothing happens, so they relax and that's when they're struck again, then the alarms are raised and so it goes."

"Heads up, someone's coming," Mars warned. They hid just as two guards, man and woman, came running down the street.

"I'm certain he came down this way," he huffed.

"Are you sure it was a pammul?" his partner asked, "The ears were rather big, and I've never seen a white one before."

"Hey, he was small, furry and talked, that's proof enough for me."

"Whatever you say, bud." She looked around once more and shrugged. "Eh, it's probably long gone by now. Let's get back to our post." Mercury waited a little before calling out for their feline friend.

"Artemis-kun, you can come out now." The white cat appeared from behind a trash can.

"Whew, Luna-chan's right, I gotta exercise more." He looked up at the senshi. "How was the cruise?"

"To be honest, the food was awful," the time senshi answered, "everything else was four stars. Did you find out how we can enter the palace?"

"Hai, through the ventilation system. Follow me, we'll meet with Mina-tachi and find Hotaru-chan in no time."

*****

Twenty minutes later:

"Artemis-kun, this is the third time we've been through here," the Moon princess huffed, "Do you even know where we're going?"

"I know where we want to go," the white cat assured, "however, I'm no longer positive of how we're going to get there."

"Oh, for crying out loud," Mars grumbled, "That's it, I'm getting out of this sardine can." She started melting off the screws on one of the vents.

"Matte!" Mercury pulled her away, "We can't walk around in the open, we'll be captured."

"At least we'll be able to move," the fire senshi countered, "and without a reference point, we'll be crawling in circles all night."

"Fine, let me check first," the azure-haired senshi activated her visor and scanned the area, "the coast is clear, so I guess it's safe."

"Either way, I'm risking it," Pluto said. One by one the senshi climbed out through the vent and figured out where they were.

"This looks like a sort of art exhibit," the senshi leader noticed as she checked out the weapons, busts and crests on the wall, "To be precise, dedicated to great fighters of old."

"Hai, and look at this statue," Mercury called, "It's just like the one we saw at the plaza." It depicted a young girl holding a lance, with long ribbons running down her back. "She must have been their grandest heroine, probably still is."

"If she's so famous, then she must be powerful," Pluto figured out, "I hope we never have to face her." They approached the door cautiously. "A room with so many valuables must be protected. Mercury, can you find out what type of security system it is?"

"I already did." The azure-haired senshi pointed at the statues. "Those are golems, the moment we enter their line of vision, they'll attack, and if we strike first, we'll activate the alarms."

"Then let's confuse them," Artemis proposed, "You girls hide and leave everything else in my paws." Unseen thanks of his size, the white cat opened the door, and just as he had planned, the robots were activated. It didn't take long for the guards to arrive.

"How come malfunctions always happen in the middle of the night?" one of them grumbled, "There's no one here."

"Hey, it could've been one of my kind," a pammul said as she jumped to the floor, "we're experts at sneaking around."

"And how's a little thing like you going to carry anything?" a white-haired man challenged.

"Umm, pumping iron?" Everyone laughed as they went into the room, and just when they were far enough from the door…

"Shabon Spray!" Using the magical fog for a cover, the senshi made their escape. "Here's the plan: we go outside, wait for the commotion to end, and retake our search. Artemis-kun, will you be able to remember the way?"

"My sense of direction isn't that bad." They came to a screeching halt, right in front of a squadron. "My luck, however, does not improve."

"It's them!" one of the guards shouted, "The senshi!"

"No confrontations!" Sailor Moon ordered, "Mercury!"

"Shabon Spray!" Once again, the four heroines and cat ran through the mist, but things didn't go as planned.

"Yaah!" Mars slipped on a patch of ice, which she had no idea where it came from. A guard came up and took her by shoulder.

"Listen, there's no need-Whoa!" He was barely able to avoid the fireball, it hit the roof, causing the roof to crumble.

"Kuso, now I've done it!" Mars had only thrown that attack as a reflex, but their opponents had already gotten the wrong impression.

"We were ordered not to fight," a soldier said as he gripped his spear, "but you're really asking for it!"

"Gomen," the Moon princess apologized as she picked up her friend, "but we really must be leaving. Mercury, if you don't mind."

"Okay, but this is becoming monotone. Shabon-Nani?" A pammul hopped onto her shoulder, and before the water senshi could react, he breathed out a gas cloud. It was impossible to avoid inhaling it, and she fell to her knees paralyzed.

"The queen wants to see you, one way or another you're going to-Whoa!" Pluto grabbed the scaly critter by the tail and flung him away.

"Believe me, we don't want to fight, but we won't surrender either. Death Scream!" The purple orb blew the wall open. "There's our way out, come on!" Just when the time senshi was about to cross the hole she made, a ricochet right in front of her nose stopped her.

"These beams aren't lethal, but their effect is very unpleasant." The heroines recognized the man in red, Sketh. "Now, let's all put an end to this clowning and-" He saw someone approach. "Your majesty!" In a flash everyone knelt and placed their fist on their chest to salute. Sailor Moon, who was looking away, took a deep breath and prepared herself.

"I might as well do my best to mend this fiasco." She turned, cleared her throat and bowed her head. "Your majesty, watashi wa Serenity no hime, Princess of the Silver kingdom."

"(giggle) No need for introductions, your highness, I'm perfectly aware of who you are." The senshi recognized that voice, but they couldn't believe it, even after she came into view.

"It can't be!" Sailor Moon gasped.


	5. Heritage 5

Heritage

Imperial palace, four days ago:

"Hotaru-chan, Hotaru-chan, wake up." Luna pressed her paw against her friend's cheek. "Come on already, I refuse to believe you're as heavy a sleeper as Usagi-chan."

"I'm awake," the pale girl moaned, the bed was much too comfortable to get up willingly. "Matte, I remember now! We were fighting the golems when—Yikes!" She pulled the blankets up when she noticed that she was wearing nothing. "What happened to my fuku?"

"Must've disappeared while you were unconscious," the black cat answered, "But that's the least of our worries, we should be concerned about where we are and who brought us here." They both looked around, they were in the largest and most luxurious room they had ever seen. The paintings, vases and tapestries were each a work of art; the furniture had golden ornaments and were richly upholstered. "Right after Usagi-chan and you were stunned, someone grabbed me by the neck. I can't remember much after that, but by the lump on my head, I guess someone knocked me out." Hotaru wrapped herself with the blankets and went over to look out the huge windows.

"By the silence, it's breathtaking!" The amethyst-eyed girl had the best view of the city. "These people sure know how to treat their captives. Now if only I had something to wear, everything would be just fine."

"Problem solved." Luna sprang from the bed and climbed up a mannequin. "Our hosts thought of everything, and look at what's hanging on the wall." Hotaru did so and saw her Silence glaive, displayed on an exquisitely designed rack like the precious item it was.

"They're placing their trust in me," Hotaru realized, "Very well, I won't betray their hospitality." She let the blanket drop, just as the door slid open and a man walked in! It was one of the other night's trio, dressed in a deep green robe with amber patterns.

"If she hasn't woken up yet then we'll call the medics and—Goodness!"

"What? What is it?" An older man in a blue robe asked as he entered. "My, oh my! Good morning, my name is Tutok, and this is—Ow, ouch!" His companion pulled him out of the room by the ear.

"Move, you idiot!" They rushed outside and shut the door. A moment later it opened again a little. "Ahem, please let us know when you're ready. We'll wait out here." It closed again.

"This was both embarrassing an entertaining," the violet-haired girl finally managed to say, her face burning red.

"If that old fart's wearing that stupid grin when I see him again, I'm slashing his nose off," Luna hissed.

A few minutes later Hotaru was fully dressed, so to speak. The summer dress she was wearing was utterly transparent, as though she had put on a veil of steam. Luckily, the undergarments complementing it were like a two piece swimsuit which covered her body satisfactorily. She took one more moment to prepare herself before calling her 'hosts'.

"You may come in now." Only the younger man came in this time, followed by a maid who was carrying a tray of food. She set it on the table and left, keeping her sight lowered the whole time.

"Please forgive us for intruding. I swear, we had no intention of invading your intimacy."

"It was an accident," the pale girl replied, "Still, you could've prevented it by sending in a woman instead."

"True, however the third minister is away at the time. But I digress, I must explain the reason for your being brought here so abruptly."

"The thought had crossed my mind," Hotaru replied sarcastically as she sat at the table. She noticed that the dark-skinned man remained standing. "Won't you have a seat?"

"Oh no! I couldn't do that." She thought of it as odd, yet decided not to dwell on it. "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Mekhet, I am one of the three ministers of Kaeruh." He showed her his amulet, bronze, with three jackal heads. "Now, please tell me, do you know of a being who went by the name of Pharaoh 90?" The young girl couldn't hide her surprise, it had been a long time since she'd heard that name.

"To be honest, I know very little about him, only that I was the one to destroy him." She narrowed her eyes. "What relation do the three ministers have with the pharaoh? And how do I fit into the equation?"

"The ministers, the former ones to be precise, represented the pharaoh and held power second only to him. As for your second question, destroying Pharaoh 90 is the main reason you were sought after and brought to Kaeruh."

"I see." Hotaru stood up and held out her hand. The Silence glaive flew to her side and she held her weapon forward. "Go ahead then, see if you can avenge your lord."

"Wait! You've got it all wrong!" Mekhet stumbled as he backed away. He was quite frightened, as though he knew exactly what the weapon could do. "May the demons take Bob, I knew it was a bad idea. We weren't looking for Pharaoh 90's slayer, we were looking for his successor."

Same location, present day:

"Let me get this straight," Haruka began, "We spent the night in some smelly barracks, slept on vermin infested mattresses, crossed the desert on a stinky duck, then again on a gigantic bomb, were arrested, got our butts kicked by a faceless assassin and finally put in jail. All while being worried sick about you." Her grin was quite scary. "And you were living it up as the queen of this place!!"

"Hai," Hotaru answered innocently. Her adoptive parent got closer. "I've got bodyguards at the ready."

"In short," Ami began, "Destroying Pharaoh 90 gave you the obligation to occupy his throne."

"I'm relieved we cleared that out," the odango-headed girl said, "For a moment I thought you'd been repossessed."

"Not a chance, I'm still Tomoe Hotaru and that's how it shall remain."

"What I want to know is, why was Luna-chan taken?" her white-furred mate demanded.

"It was an accident, Artemis-kun," she explained, "Heben was trying to take Bob-chan here, but took me instead."

"Yeah, can you imagine?" the pammul huffed, "Mistaking a cute thing like me with this big-eared hairball."

"Hey!"

"Let's not begin the celebration yet," Mamoru warned, "We've still got the terrorists to worry about. Their failed attempt from the other day won't be the last one."

"Hai, that's the main reason I decided to stay," Hotaru replied. The door opened and a butler came in.

"Your majesty, the bath you requested for yourself and your friends is ready." Everyone turned to look at the petit girl, who grumbled as she slapped her face.

"And that is the main reason I want to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Try not to let your crown go to your head, Hotaru-chan," Minako snickered.

"Excuse me," the butler scolded, "You will address her majesty, Queen Saturn, with the proper respect and by her title."

"Ie, it's all right!" Hotaru hurried to say, "These are my friends, they don't have to treat me with such formality."

"As you wish, your majesty," the elderly man replied with a bow.

"(sigh) Shall we go?" The girls went one way and Mamoru and Artemis the other; the white cat then noticed that Bob was following the former group. He sprinted and cut the scaly critter's path.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

"To join the others in the bath, Luna is."

"Riiiiight. Not on my watch, buddy."

"Umm, Artemis-kun." Luna hurried to her mate's side when she heard their argument. "Dear, Bob-chan's female."

"Nani!?" Artemis looked at the pammul up and down then turned to Luna. "How was I supposed to know?" A blue puff surrounded him and he was encased in ice.

"We have freezing breath, males have a paralyzing gas," Bob answered as she knocked the inattentive cat over with her tail.

"Gomen, Artemis-kun, but you had it coming."

Separatist fort:

Nieduan entered Lieutenant Nimm's office.

"You called for me, Sir."

"Yes, we have received new orders for you." The man in blue pointed to a tablet on his desk, which the masked girl proceeded to pick up. "That is Princess Serenity, also known as Sailor Moon. She has recently arrived in the capital along with her husband and defenders, the sailor senshi. Your mission is to assassinate Serenity; the sailors will try to stop you, you are allowed to dispose of them if need be. If your report is accurate, then you have experience fighting them."

"Affirmative, Sir."

"Very well. There is a vehicle waiting for you, be on your way." The pale girl started to leave. "Wait, there's one more thing. I was informed that you may confront Queen Saturn. It is strictly forbidden to kill her, understood?"

"Yes, Sir." The death-huntress left and Nimm leaned back on his chair. He checked out the report he'd been sent one more time.

"What's so special about this princess, that the queen herself would protect her in combat?" The lieutenant snorted. "Fight? That twig? No way." He switched screens and went on to other business.

"Have you ever seen something this sweet?" Batt asked enthusiastically as she circled the sleek, gray vehicle. "State-of-the-art, stylish, able to reach 200 mph in a matter of seconds; not to mention stealth mode, laser and compacted mines. (Sigh) Too bad there's only room for the pilot, it would be so swell to have a ride with your date on this baby."

"You're kidding, right?" Kemm replied, "There's no back seat on this thing. Besides, don't forget who's getting this bike. Nieduan would never use it for such a thing, even so, the poor bastard would be too scared to enjoy himself."

"Scared stiff, but no stiff," the buzz cut girl quipped. She turned and saw the pigtailed one. Both soldiers quickly took their positions aside the vehicle and Kemm presented a small box.

"The T-54 is fully fueled and ready for use. In addition, you are given six golem capsules to activate as needed." Wordlessly, Nieduan took the box and got on her ride. There was something else in the blue-haired soldier's mind, and he couldn't keep it in any longer. "Are you sure you can do this after what happened yesterday?"

"My wounds are temporary and non-hindering, you needn't worry about the mission." The motor started, the bike rose from the ground and off she was.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Batt burst out as soon as they were alone, "You're not supposed to say anything besides what we've been told!"

"You saw what happened yesterday. Don't you think sending her out on a mission so soon is a tad cruel, in spite of how strong she is?"

"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. But what about your own welfare?" She asked. "If that question of yours had rubbed her the wrong way, you would be dead by now."

"Nah, as long as I keep away from the face I'll be safe." Kemm got a pat on the back from his friend.

"You're a sweet guy, but take my advice, save it for someone with feelings."

Imperial Palace:

"This is the life," Minako claimed as she floated lazily, "Dibs on the next tyrant we face."

"I must agree," Ami said, "Just look at the size of this place!" The bathroom was enormous, the 'tub' alone was twice the size of an Olympic pool. "Hotaru-chan, I'm starting to feel very jealous."

"There's nothing to envy," the amethyst-eyed girl claimed, "Hai, it was fun at first to have so many people waiting on me, ready to satisfy my every whim."

"I for one, loved it," Luna spoke up, "I realize I'm promoting the feline stereotype, but it felt so good to be pampered."

"Were you know? Is there a handsome masseuse involved, by any chance?" her blue-eyed charge wondered. The black cat looked away and everyone laughed. "But tell me, Hotaru-chan, what makes you so unhappy? I've heard what people say about you during the trip here, you're greatly admired. Considering how you used to be treated, I'd thought you'd be thrilled."

"I was moved to the opposite side of the spectrum, Usagi-san, and that's just as bad," Hotaru explained, "People are still not talking to me, this time because I'm too sacred and precious. No one can look nor speak to me; some are allowed to relay messages, yet they must always keep their eyes away. Only six people can talk to me directly: the three ministers, General Menmaht, Sketh, and Bob-chan here."

"Nani? What makes you so important?" Minako asked.

"I'm chief engineer," the scaly critter announced proudly, "I am also the creator of many incredible devices. One of them is the dimensional door which brought Queen Saturn here. It took over a year to build, and takes a full month to recharge though."

"Why didn't you use the one at the desert base?" Setsuna asked. "It is in perfect working order, and has no limits for its use."

"Wait a minute!" Bob blanched, "Are you telling me that there already was a door? Fully functional?" She got a nod for a response and dropped on the floor.

"Aww, and you were so proud too," Luna teased.

"Please, Luna, have mercy on the fallen."

"Okay, okay, enough gossip," the shorthaired racer declared, "Setsuna-san, Usagi-chan and Mamoru-kun have an interview with the ministers; and we should find a way to make ourselves useful."

Mamoru and Artemis were walking down a corridor. The dark-haired man was dressed in white: a vest, gold armbands, loose pants and moccasins The cat from Mau was on a ledge built for pammul, which facilitated conversation with the much taller humans.

"Che, after all I've been through, Luna-chan could've at least waited for me to thaw out."

"I'd suggest you drop the subject, Artemis-kun. If there's one thing I've learnt from marriage, you can never win an argument against your spouse."

"Hey, I've been mated for almost as long as you've been married." The blue-eyed cat grumbled. "That weasel's the one to blame for all this. What kind of a name for a girl is Bob?"

"It is the first syllable of the chief engineer's full name," a voice answered. They both looked to their left and saw a teenager. He had delicate features and a tattoo on his forehead. "Is this the information you requested?"

"Umm, hai," Artemis responded, "But who are you?"

"I respond to the name Anukh. And I have already been given information concerning your identities, Prince Endymion, Mister Artemis, and have been ordered to escort you to the meeting room."

"Arigato, and pleased to meet you, Anukh-kun," the black haired man replied as they resumed walking. "Just out of curiosity, what is Bob-chan's full name?"

"I am afraid the point would be rather moot. The pammul language is spoken at a very fast pace, 234 syllables per minute, unpronounceable for humans."

"Minako-chan might," the blue-eyed cat quipped, thinking of all those phone conversations_._ The three of them walked a bit further when they met someone yet again. This time it was someone they all recognized.

"General Menmaht, it is an honor to meet you again," Mamoru greeted with a bow.

"The honor is mine, your highness," the scarred man replied with a bow of his own, "And I must apologize for the treatment you and your companions received."

"Ie, not at all, it is our fault for keeping our identity hidden. You are a man who treats his enemies fairly, a rare quality." The four resumed walking. "And the situation your country is in calls for wariness."

"Very true, that last attempt was quite daring, and would've been a devastating blow had they succeeded." The general shook his head. "Our enemy is growing bolder, while our people have been gradually loosing their moral. Finding our ruler has always been a priority, and during these last few months it had become a dire necessity."

"What makes Hotaru-chan so important?" Artemis inquired.

"She symbolizes our liberation. Queen Saturn destroyed Pharaoh 90, putting an end to an oppression that lasted throughout generations." They kept talking until they met four more people who were heading towards the meeting: Hotaru, Usagi, Setsuna and Samenat; Bob accompanied them. The blonde girl immediately went ahead.

"Mamo-chan! You look like the hero in that Arabian computer game."

"As I recall, there is also a heroine, and you're her spitting image, Usako." Her outfit was pink, consisting in a vest, cut shorter than her husband's, a top, a circlet with a white tear-shaped jewel, and sheer silk ribbons hanging from her arms, held by golden bracelets on her shoulders, elbows and wrists. Hotaru's and Setsuna's were identical except for the color, deep blue and a violet jewel, burgundy and a black jewel respectively. "I'm still not sure about the bell-bottoms though."

"Now, why don't I ever see you in such flattering clothing?" Menmaht asked his wife.

"Well, these robes are traditional, so I can't change them just because," Samenat answered, "However, if her majesty were so kind as to decree…Queen Saturn?" The pale girl was keeping her distance. The gold minister then noticed that she was glaring at Anukh. "Oh, right."

"By your leave, your majesty," the pammul engineer said as she climbed up to the tattooed boy's shoulder, "I'd like to show Artemis my workshop. Anukh, pick him up and let's go."

"Yes, ma'am." The three left in a bit of a hurry. The ruby-eyed woman couldn't help noticing that her adoptive daughter took a breath of relief once Anukh was gone.

"General Menmaht," the Moon princess said, "I must thank you for bringing my husband and friends safely through the desert."

"In truth, your highness, it is I who owe Prince Endymion my life," the bald man replied. "And I owe you as well, for protecting my dear wife," he added as he put his arm around her.

"We're among friends," Hotaru reminded, "we don't owe each other anything. Now, let's hurry, Mekhet-san and Tutok-san are waiting for us."

The Courtyard:

"Haruka-kun, you egotistical baka, get a move on!" Rei ordered, "It's not like everyone's got their eyes set on you!"

"Well pardon me if I'm a little self-conscious," the racer retorted angrily as she caught up. The girls were all wearing the same outfit as their friends, in different colors: Rei, orange with a red jewel on her circlet; Ami, red and blue; Minako, pastel green and orange; Haruka, sky blue and amber. Obviously, she was upset because her figure was being fully shown. "I can't believe you guys forced me to wear this thing."

"Haruka-kun, you look lovely," the azure-haired girl praised, "Besides, we all know you dress femininely every once in a while."

"Hai, **once in a while**, not full time."

"Well we could order something more fitting to your personality," Minako said, "but considering the fashion sense in this castle, you're better off looking girly." She pointed towards two servants walking by, their torsos were utterly bare. "Unless you really want to draw attention."

"Actually, there are regions where women dressing in such manner is quite common." The Japanese girls looked up and saw Sketh approaching. "Tutok's dream is to live in such a place when he retires. Good morning, Miss Ami, I trust you are feeling better today." He was the one who had treated the shorthaired girl for the pammul's paralyzing breath.

"Hai, Sketh-san, arigato. Tutok, he is one of the three ministers, ne?"

"Indeed, along with Mekhet, who went with me to Earth, and Samenat, whom you met during the cruise. As for me, I am the head medic, represented by my red robe."

"Then red is the color of your profession in Kaeruh," Ami deduced, "No wonder Hotaru-chan chose this color for me."

"So, Sketh-kun, what brings you to this side of the jungle?" the loose-haired blonde asked, the misquote muddled Sketh a bit, it was bad enough that he'd never heard it at all.

"Err…I was on my way to my office to complete some belated paperwork. My apologies, but I can't stay." He bowed and left.

"Well he was in a hurry," Rei noted, "Can't blame him though. If the attack we stopped the other day is just one of many, he must be a very busy man."

"Hai," the sand-blonde agreed, "Still, he could've taken a little time to apologize for that spank he gave me." She sat down at a fountain. "Check it out, yet another statue of this girl." The one with the lance. "I wonder who it is."

"Duh, that's the queen, you silly," a small voice answered. Startled, Haruka looked down and saw a little five-year-old girl. She had shoulder-length brown hair and bright tan eyes. "Yeah. That lance she has, she can beat all the bad guys with it. And once she fought a sphinx, as big as the castle. Like this!" She stood on her toes, stretched out her arms and puffed up her cheeks, making everyone present laugh.

"Sounds like they've been spreading rumors about Hotaru-chan," the raven-haired girl whispered to Ami as the child continued with her tall-tales, "Good ones for a change."

"Miyu!" A twelve-year-old boy with dark gray hair came running towards the group. "Miyu, your nanny's been looking for you like crazy, and you know that you mustn't talk to strangers."

"But these people are friends of the queen. See? Mommy said they would be wearing those crowns so we know who they are."

"You're very observant," Haruka congratulated. She leaned towards the boy. "And you must be her big brother. What's your name?"

"Umm…Kazos, my sister and I are the children of General Menmaht and the gold minister." There was quite an ammount of pride in his voice, understandable considering his age and who his parents were.

"Yeah, mom and dad are very important people, and we get to live at the palace, and do lots of stuff, and we—"

"Miyu-chan, slow down!" the shrine maiden pleaded with a laugh, "Listen, we just got here and don't know the palace much. Do you think you and your brother could show us around?"

"Sure!" The little girl grabbed Rei and Ami by the hand and started dragging them away. "I know of an even bigger garden. Come on!"

"Guess I'll have to go with you," Kazos grumbled as he followed the three, Minako and Haruka were right behind him.

"Ah, to be young again," the latter sighed theatrically, "Did I ever tell you I was a hyperactive child?"

"I'm reminded of Chibi-chibi," the one with the ribbon replied, "And Haruka-kun, a word of advice, don't lean forward when you're talking to people."

"Why not—Chikuso!!"

Bob's workshop:

Luna circled the large and odd machine as she tried to figure out what it was.

"I'm guessing it's a tank engine, but knowing Bob-chan it could just as well be a coffee machine." She heard the door slide open and turned to see Anukh, her mate and her new friend entering.

"Thank you, Anukh, now please go check the inventory."

"Yes ma'am." He went over to a corner and started counting.

"He's very obedient when it comes to following your orders," the white cat noted.

"It's only logical," the engineer replied, "children always are towards their parents."

"Nani?! Is there something I should know, or are you waiting for me to humiliate myself again?"

"What Bob-chan means to say is," Luna began explaining, "is that she built Anukh-kun, he's an android."

"A robot!?" Artemis nearly fell off the table.

"The word we use is golem, but I guess they all mean the same," the pammul replied. "Yup, he's the most advanced one you'll ever see, the only one of it's kind and my masterpiece." She was justly proud.

"Well this explains Hotaru-chan's behavior," the white cat realized, "her phobia was acting up."

"Indeed, her majesty has a rather adverse reaction towards my presence," the tattooed android commented from were he was, "My sensors show deterioration in her physical constitution each time."

"I didn't know it was that bad!" the black cat gasped.

"Neither did I," Bob added, "Anukh, why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"

"You didn't ask," he simply answered.

"Well you shouldn't keep such information a secret! (sigh) I better start working on a new program for you." The pammul got to work while the feline couple talked amongst themselves.

"Poor Hotaru-chan," Luna sighed, "her experience must've been an awful one if robots can actually make her ill."

"Hai. We've been lucky so far, but we better find a way to treat her before it causes a disaster."

Meeting room:

"Congratulations people, we nearly caused a diplomatic incident," Mekhet said sarcastically. "We kidnapped a member of a royal court, causing the rulers of another kingdom to come look for her. Her majesty told us how powerful Princess Serenity and her senshi are. Can you imagine if they had come with hostile intentions?"

"Will you calm down? Her majesty told us that would never happen," Tutok replied. "The fact is, we now have powerful allies to aid us in the war against Sarkoz. Gorgeous ones I might add."

"Is that all which occupies your mind?" his companion huffed.

"28/5." The door opened, the pair stood up and saluted as Hotaru and company entered. "Good morning, you majesty. Ah, such blessing it is to see you and your guests."

"And good morning to you, Tutok-san," the petit teen replied with a bow. "Minna-san, I would like to introduce the bronze and silver ministers, Mekhet and Tutok. Mekhet-kun, Tutok-san, these are the rulers of the future Crystal kingdom, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, and my guardian, Meioh Setsuna."

"It is an honor," the younger minister said with a salute.

"It's plain to see who raised the queen into a fine young woman," Tutok said as he stepped over to take Setsuna's hand. "I must congratulate you, my lady."

"Umm, arigato. But would you mind looking up?" The old man was a bit short, so his line of vision wasn't exactly aligned with the mocha-skinned woman's face.

"It's too early in the day," Menmaht grumbled as he sat down. "Let's get the meeting started, all right? The first issue is a history lesson for our friends, what happened prior to Pharaoh 90's defeat and afterwards."

"Hai, it should be useful information," Usagi agreed, "We never knew much about your world, the Death Busters weren't precisely the best ambassadors."

"The quintet, eh?" Samenat remembered, "Personally, I think my father was just trying to get rid of those clowns."

"Your father?" Mamoru asked.

"Yes, my father was the golden minister before me, which means that my family was part of Pharaoh 90's court." The longhaired woman took a deep breath and leaned back on her seat. "A past which still haunts me."

"Don't forget your merits, child," the old man in blue spoke up, "You risked your life giving the rebels vital information. I too served that cursed tyrant, yet was too much of a coward to act against my superiors."

"You must have merits, Tutok-san," the blonde girl assured, "The others wouldn't have accepted you otherwise. What about you two, Menmaht-san, Mekhet-kun?"

"Menmaht and I were part of the rebellion against Pharaoh 90. I was a lieutenant and he my captain." The young-man chuckled. "Now I'm the one who's above him."

"Careful, former soldiers can always be recalled. And you still owe me quite a few push ups."

"I'm glad to see we weren't alone in our fight against Pharaoh 90," the dark-haired prince said gratefully, "I doubt we would've been able to defeat him without you help."

"Oh, but you helped a lot, your highness," Samenat assured, "There was something in your world which the pharaoh coveted, an item of great power. It constantly evaded his grasp, which drove him desperate and careless. Finally, in a display of poetic justice, he opened a portal to your world only to find his destroyer."

"Which, as you know, was me," Hotaru continued. "The ministers told me how they've been guiding the people ever since, rebuilding and making the kingdom progress. But with the throne vacant, the people are not together, that's how Sarkoz formed the separatist army."

"Now that Queen Saturn is here, we have a chance for victory," Mekhet said, taking his turn to speak, "Now, we realize that she can't stay, her majesty has already explained the reasons, not to mention it is ridiculous to ask someone who knows nothing about the land to be its ruler."

"Which brings us to the next subject," Setsuna deduced, "Who will Hime-chan leave as a successor?"

"There are three options," the bronze minister began, "First, to be defeated in a battle to the death, automatic cross-off; second, the throne may be inherited by her future children, whom I doubt she'll have here; and third, to abdicate and leave whoever she sees fit as ruler."

"Choosing a minister would be most logical," Tutok pointed out, "So, Queen Saturn has to decide which of these two is most worthy to fill her shoes."

"These two?" The amethyst-eyed girl raised an eyebrow. "Tutok-san, are you saying that you have no interest in becoming king?"

"Not at all," the old man answered, waving his hand. "Besides, we'd still have the same problem. I have no family, and I am too old to get started."

"Not to mention protocol would demand you behave yourself, "the golden minister chided, "Okay, unless anyone has any questions, I'd like for us to check which strategies we've devised against the separatists."

"They are our main concern," Usagi reasoned, "Carry on, Samenat-san." Projectors came out of the corners of the table and a holographic map appeared, Menmaht then proceeded to explain the present situation and how they were planning to face it. _This is pretty dull_, the blonde thought, _but I better pay attention if I ever want to learn how to rule a kingdom_.

The day passed without any outstanding events, with the arrival of dusk, however, a very large one was about to unfold. Nieduan leapt over the gates and made her way into the garden undetected, she opened the box containing the golem capsules and tossed them into the dirt, a fountain and some trees.

"Earth, water, wood," she stated as two of each kind were formed. "Golems, scatter and destroy."


	6. Heritage 6

Heritage

Flashback:

"I can't do this!" a teenage Menmaht claimed as he pulled his weapon away from the white-haired woman. "Let me carry you, we don't have that far to go."

"Don't be an idiot," the wounded soldier grunted, "You can barely walk, much less carry me. If we can't escape together, you should at least do so on your own."

"Don't say that. We've been in dire situations before and have pulled out of them together. This time it will be no different!"

"It is different!!" She tried to take a deep breath, but doing so made her body hurt. "I realize it's hard, not being able to save a friend's life, but you can save me from torture and humiliation. You know what they do to their prisoners, all those crazy scientists and dark priests. Are you going to let me go through that?"

"No. But…" Menmaht strained his brain for an argument that would convince his friend, but nothing came to mind. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. He stood up once more and aimed his staff towards her chest. All while she kept a calm, faint smile.

"I'd like to ask for one more favor," the white-haired woman said with a slight chuckle. "The girl who's giving us all that info, Samenat, I've noticed the way you look at each other. Make sure you don't let her go."

"…Goodbye…"

"Guh!" Menmaht came back to reality with a start, the way he always did whenever he came to that final part of the memory. "(sigh) I should've tried harder."

"Did you need something, my dear?" his wife asked as she came into the room, "I thought I heard you call my name."

"No, love. I was just thinking out loud." He got up from his seat. "Well, we better get a move on if we don't want to be late for the dinner party. Our guests shouldn't be kept waiting."

"I know, and I told those two I wanted them back before we had to leave," Samenat huffed, referring to her children. "They are going to get a piece of my mind when I find them."

Kazos and Miyu met with their parents soon enough, as they were leading Haruka, Minako, Rei and Ami towards their family suite.

"Gomen, we didn't mean to be late," the shrine maiden apologized, "but there are so many interesting sights in the palace that we lost track of time. Your children made excellent guides, by the way."

"Yes indeed, they know this place like the backs of their hands," the gold minister agreed as she placed her hand on her daughter's head. "It makes one wonder why they are always late to go anywhere." The little girl responded with an innocent grin. "Now, back to your rooms, you two. Your nursemaids are waiting for you."

"It's still too early," the young boy complained. He was at that age when having a nanny is quite embarrassing. "Why can't I go with you to the dinner party? I'm old enough."

"But you always say those parties are very dull," his little sister replied. She figured it out a second later. "Oh! You wanna go because you like—Mmmph?!"

"You know what, mom? You're right, I better go to bed now. After all, I'm still training for the sports festival. I hope to see you again tomorrow." Kazos gave a hasty bow and escaped, dragging his sister along and leaving everyone surprisingly amused.

"Boy, am I glad I was an only child," Haruka chuckled. She then turned her attention to the scarred general, who seemed to be miles away. "You've been awfully quiet, Menmaht-san. Is there something on your mind?"

"I was simply recalling the past." The scarred man glanced towards his children as they went around the corner, focusing on his daughter, Miyu, named after a fallen friend. "And painful choices."

Moments later they were at the dining room's door, where the rest of their friends, and the two remaining ministers awaited.

"Since her majesty knows very little about our cuisine," Mekhet said, I took it upon myself to select tonight's menu; and under her explicit requests, arranged for everything to be kept simple." The doors opened and the visitors gasped. Inside was the largest table any of them had ever seen, filled with at least twenty dishes, each more succulent than the last. In addition, there were musicians and jesters ready to provide entertainment.

"Mekhet-san," Hotaru sighed, "Remind me to discuss the definition of 'simple' with you."

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm trying one of each," the odango-headed blonde said as her mouth watered. "After you, Hotaru—" An explosion was heard! "What was that!" A guard came running to answer that question. He made a hasty reverence and reported to his general.

"Sir, we are under attack by the separatist! They've sent golems against us, at least four of them!"

"The enemy is here?!" Menmaht held back his swearing. "I'm on my way. Take the queen, the ministers and our guests to a safe place."

"Matte," Minako called as she held him by the arm, "We're fighters, we're not going to hide while you're out there risking your life." She then added with a wink, "The enemy's trying to scare us, ne? Well, let's see how they react after seeing true sailor senshi muscle."

"We'd rather you don't endanger yourselves," the bronze minister said, "but it is very insulting to refuse a gift, therefore we must accept your help." He then turned to Hotaru, Usagi and Mamoru. "Still, your majesty, your highnesses, it would bring us peace of mind if you would accompany us to a safer place."

"Hai, we'll go with you," the blue-eyed girl accepted. "Minna-san, please be careful. I don't want to get any bad news when this is over."

"Don't worry, Usagi, this time we've got a whole army giving us a hand," Rei assured. "Now, come on, we've wasted enough time. Mars crisis power, make up!"

Bob's workshop:

"Luna, could you hand me that spool of copper wire, please?" the pammul requested from inside an engine she was fixing.

"Sure thing." The female cat was still amazed by all of the machines and gadgets in the room. "Bob-chan, I just can't believe you've built all of these by yourself."

"Oh, I could never have done it on my own," the scaly creature replied. "As chief engineer, I've got people working for me. Still, the designs are all mine. And Anukh here was entirely built by me, body and programming. In fact, many of his components were custom made by yours truly."

"Ara, Bob-chan must've invested a lot of time on you," Artemis told the android, "Considering the difference in size, I'd say every free second she could afford."

"I'm afraid I cannot divulge that information, Mister Artemis," Anukh responded, "I am forbidden to reveal or hint towards my creator's age."

"Are you now?" The white cat raised an eyebrow at Bob. "You know, that alone tells me that you're very close, if not already over the hill."

"Keep it up and I'm freezing your whiskers off," the pammul threatened. She then rubbed her stomach. "Say, is anybody else hungry?"

"Hai," Luna answered, "Actually, I believe we're running late for the dinner banquet Hotaru-chan prepared for us."

"Not really, I know a shortcut to the dining room." Bob went over to some rags and started cleaning herself up. "Anukh, you may rest and recharge now, unless you wish to take one of your nightly strolls. The black-haired golem was about to respond, when his sensors picked up something out of place.

"Look out!" He leapt over a desk, grabbed the three animals, and leapt away again, just as an enormous clay golem smashed through the wall. It located a potential target and charged.

"Luna-chan, Bob-chan, move!" Artemis shouted as he hurried them away, "You too, Anukh-san!" But the humanoid golem stood still, biding his time. When the earthy one was almost on top of him, he grabbed its arms and used the momentum to lift it over his head. Then, in a further display of strength, hurled the invading monster back the way it came from.

"Hang on, Anukh. Help is on its way." Bob rushed towards the area where she kept the golems and activated them. Most were still under repair, missing an arm or various other components, but they could move and fight and that's what mattered. "Curses, I knew I should've built that defense system. Artemis, get on the radio and call for the guards."

"They already know," the white cat replied, "Several parts of the palace are under simultaneous attack." He looked at the screen and analyzed the situation. "This is a diversionary tactic. But what are they after?"

According to Mercury's computer, five out of six golems remained, one for each senshi. However, it also revealed that they were much stronger than the ones faced in Tokyo.

_No problem_, Mars thought as she approached her target, _all we have to do is hit them on the forehead and they're through_. The fire senshi stood in front of the wooden giant and attacked.

"Mars flame sniper!" The fiery arrow hit it's target, but it kept on fighting. "Nani? Why won't it stop? The rune was destroyed."

"Our golems are the ones with runes, not the enemy's," a nearby guard informed. "You see, we are the ones copying the technology from them."

"Terrific," the fire senshi grumbled, "Well, I've still got the winning element. Burning Manda—"

"No!" Menmaht halted her just before she released the flaming rings. "Ignite it and it will cause even more damage. We must figure out how to keep it in one place first." The dark-skinned man overviewed the battle. The guards kept firing, causing severe damage to the golem; but its plantlike nature allowed it to recover and grow back lost limbs. "Shoot at the knees."

"Sir, it will just—"

"Do it!" The guards questioned no more and fired, blasting off the legs. "Sailor Mars, now!"

"Burning Mandala!" Now, Menmaht knew that lighting up the wood golem would send it into a state of panic, trashing all about the place; with its legs gone, the only are to be damaged would be the one it was lying on. And while the legs did start to grow back, they were mere sprouts and burned away in an instant. "Good thinking, Menmaht-san. Keep it up and we'll be back at the table before the dishes go cold."

"I don't like the idea of hiding while the others fight," Sailor Moon said. She and her friends had changed into their heroic guises as a precaution. They, along with the ministers, were in Hotaru's suite. "We should be out there doing our part."

"We are, your highness," Samenat replied. "Please keep in mind that my husband, the father of my children, is out there as well, risking his life. I'd much rather he stay by my side, but his duty is to fight and defend this land, just as mine is to help guide our people. Similarly, the senshi fight so that you may live and rule your kingdom."

"Hai, it's true," the Moon princess accepted. "Gomen, I didn't mean to sound selfish."

"Why are you two so worried?" Mekhet asked, "I've fought alongside General Menmhat, I know what he's capable of. Also, we've got home field advantage. They will all be fine. Isn't that right, Tutok?" No reply. "Tutok?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry? It's all this waiting, it's getting on my nerves."

"I'll say," Tuxedo Kamen replied. He was about to say something else when he caught sight of a shadow moving. "Get down!" The man in black threw a rose towards a window, causing a blur to leap out of the darkness. It landed in the middle of the room and immediately charged towards Sailor Moon. The blonde senshi would've been dead the next second, if Saturn hadn't been there to block. And by doing so, the attacker's identity was revealed.

"Nieduan." The silver minister was so frightened he couldn't move a muscle. Neither could the other two after hearing that name. The violet-haired assassin edged her face closer to Saturn's.

"So it's you."

"Hai, it's me." The silent senshi pushed her away and spun her weapon. "First and foremost, I am a sailor senshi, and will protect my princess as much as this country."

"That doesn't interest me," the pig-tailed one replied with her empty tone. She did a back flip then pole-vaulted over Saturn's head, intending to kick Sailor Moon. The princess managed to block, but was still thrown back by the force of the blow. Now it was the Earth prince's turn. He took a swing with his cane, which Nieduan dodged. She then elbowed him in the gut, followed by a right jab and a lunging kick. As a finishing move, she raised her staff and brought it down, meaning to smash his head open. Instead, she hit an invisible surface, Saturn's silence wall. "What?! Oof!" Sailor Moon took advantage of her distraction to tackle their opponent. Nieduan immediately recovered however, she grabbed the blue-eyed senshi by the arm and slammed her against the floor. And just as she was about to deliver a punch that would crush Sailor Moon's ribcage, her senses screamed: 'Jump'. She did and avoided the Silence Glaive by millimeters.

"You will not harm her!" Saturn yelled. A glimpse towards her friends was enough to reveal their condition. Tuxedo Kamen had at least three broken ribs, and Sailor Moon's shoulder had been dislocated. "Silence Wall!" The barrier trapped Nieduan. "Minna-san, get the Prince and Princess out of here while I hold her off."

"Majesty, we cannot leave you here!" Mekhet protested.

"DO IT! Get them out of here and call for—Guh!" The death huntress had started forcing her way out. The following blow was even stronger. "GO!!"

"Majesty…" Gritting his teeth, Tutok realized they had to obey. "Escape as soon as you get the chance. Let's go everyone!" Once she was sure her friends were out of harm's way, the amethyst-eyed senshi brought down the barrier, timing it so that Nieduan would miss her target and be thrown off-balance, and counterattacked.

"Silence Glaive surprise!"

"Echo wall!"

"Nani? KYAA!" Saturn was blown away by her own blast. Her foe wasted no time and sprinted towards the door, she saw this and rushed to intercept despite the pain she felt. "I said you would not harm them."

"I was ordered not to terminate you," Nieduan informed, "But I cannot allow you to interfere with my mission." The pale assassin swung her staff, Saturn blocked. The senshi made a thrust with her weapon, Nieduan sidestepped and hit her left shoulder with a chop; Saturn retaliated with an uppercut from her right.

_What is this?_ As they fought, the silent senshi realized that something was making her stronger. _Is it because I'm defending my friends? Ie, it's not that at all._ _Something else is driving me. _She ducked under Nieduan's whipping ponytail, which made a mark on a column. "That's a sharp do." One more spin. This time, Saturn used her Glaive to slice the braid. Now that her opponent's hair was loose and harmless, she grabbed, pulled down on it, and kneed Nieduan on the face.

"Augh!" The longhaired girl backed away, not because of the pain, but because her mask had come loose. She wanted to readjust it, but her foe sprinted, jumped and kicked her on the chest. The death huntress hit the wall behind her and the mask fell, revealing the face she so zealously hid. Both adversaries were too shocked to move; time itself did not seem to move, until Sailor Saturn spoke out a name.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" The water golem froze and was shattered into pieces by the guards. "Well, that's the last one. Are you all right, Pluto?"

"Hai, thanks for coming here so quickly." The time seshi stood up. "We're not done yet, though. We need to find out the purpose of this attack."

"Hai," the water senshi agreed, "I'll call Sailor Moon and check on them." But just as she was about to activate her communicator, it started beeping.

"_Minna-san, Saturn needs your help! She's fighting Nieduan on her own!!_"

Pluto wasted no words and started running as fast as she could. She was scared beyond belief for her daughter's well-being, yet a little voice inside repeated: _Hotaru is no longer a child, she's more capable than you give her credit for._ The mocha-skinned senshi was about to be convinced when she saw that explosion in the royal suite. "HIME-CHAN!"

"I see her!" Venus shouted. She and the others had gotten the call for help and reached the same spot on the courtyard. "She landed on that roof. Let's go help her."

As the gathered senshi and Menmaht ran towards Saturn's aid, it became evident that she was alive and kicking. Emphasize on kicking, the battle cries and flashes of violet light revealed that the fight with Nieduan was still on.

"Chikuso, can't they stay put?" Uranus complained. Each time they got close, there was an explosion and the combatants leapt away. "I'll tell you one thing, Saturn is giving that brat all she's got."

"It might not be enough," Mercury replied, "If Nieduan is as strong as you described, Saturn's chances for victory are—" Out of the blue, the pale assassin landed right in the middle of the group then hopped away just before Saturn showed up in the same manner, with her weapon driven into the ground, causing a tremor that nearly knocked them down. The pale combatants exchanged a few blows before moving on to the next area.

"Looks like Saturn has finally gained some weight," the love senshi chuckled. "Ara, get a load of this!" On the ground before them was a gap, two feet wide and ten feet long.

"This is a clean cut," Menmaht said as he checked the smooth edges, "Her majesty actually sliced the earth open." He looked in the direction the fighting pair had taken. "If we don't stop them, they'll destroy the whole palace!"

"Maybe the whole city," Mars added as she panted, "I saw the look on her face, she's been angered out of her mind."

"Come out, you bitch, you're dead no matter what," Saturn threatened as she licked the cut on her lip. The battle had become stealthier now, the fighters had entered one of the castles many rooms and were now stalking each other in the dark. "Afraid to face me now that I'm not so small and fragile, is that it?" An exhalation. "THERE!" The violet-haired senshi slashed at a column, her enemy wasn't the one to fall, however, it was a miniature device which mimicked her breathing. "Baka!"

"Agony wail!" And agony indeed was what Saturn entered when she received the full blast on her unprotected back. Nieduan then grabbed her by the collar of her fuku and swung her against a wall. Saturn wasn't even given the chance to cry out her pain as Nieduan took hold of her neck and started squeezing. "Never call me by that whore's name. NEVER!" The pale senshi was about to lose consciousness when her would be killer jumped away, just in time to avoid being beheaded by the Space Sword.

"Saturn, are you alright?" Uranus asked concernedly. She glared at the assassin, who was covering her face with her hand. Her amethyst eyes were flaming with murderous rage as she saw more senshi appear.

"Outnumbered," the longhaired assassin growled. She knew that she was in no condition to fight that many adversaries and made a beeline towards the nearest window.

"Ie, you're not getting away," Saturn coughed as she stumbled onto her feet and hit the Silence Glaive against the floor.

"Nani?" All of the alarms in Mercury's visor lit up at once. "Saturn don't!"

"SATURN SHOCKWAVE!" The attack had been overcharged, and as a consequence, the recoil was tremendous. Those inside the room felt as though they'd been trampled by the Pamplona stampede. The ones outside were affected at a lesser degree, though not by a wide margin. As for Nieduan, not only was she hit, she fell ten stories down, bouncing off the sloped wall.

"Unngh!" Menmaht used his staff to help himself up and went inside. "All those who are conscious, speak up!"

"We're fine, but Saturn isn't." Uranus groaned, "Get Sketh-san and the medics here, now! Hime-chan no baka, what were you thinking?" The marks of countless blows were all over the youngest senshi's body, but this wasn't the reason she was out cold. No, Sailor Saturn had exhausted herself completely, and the sand-blonde senshi knew the reason. Although Nieduan hid her face, she hadn't been quick enough to avoid a quick glimpse, and that was enough for Uranus to recognize her. "Mistress Nine."


End file.
